


Richard & Anne ~ A Love Story

by thenevillegirl



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2019-11-12 10:16:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 26,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18009044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenevillegirl/pseuds/thenevillegirl
Summary: Richard III and Anne Neville love story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So, I hope you liked this!  
> I wanted to write a long fic about Richard and Anne so here we are. It is based from the tv series "the White Queen", the book "The Kingmaker's Daughter" and something I read on the web.  
> I will change something or deepen some events, but honestly i don't know what will happen, we'll see ^^  
> Hope you will comment, let me know what you think!

Anne Neville, the kingmaker’s daughter Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick.

Since childhood, she has been told what her future would be like. She would have been someone’s wife, someone with an important title, to keep high the family’s name. It wasn’t hard for Anne and her sister, Isabel, to imagine it. They always played at being princesses, princes’s wives, and then they would have been queens. Their mother, Countess Anne, sewed for both a fur like the Queen must wear on the coronation day. It wasn’t comparable to the original one, but the little girls always used their imagination to add little details that they liked the most.

Sometimes they succeed in involving Richard, Duke of York youngest son who lived with them to prepare to become a skilled warrior, but Anne would always end up being angry with him because Richard always pulled her hair jokingly and saying he would have never married her because she was little and indeed she was since she was seven and Richard was eleven years old.

Certainly, she always faced him, as the worthy daughter of her father, but when it was time to retire in their chambers, it was Isabel’s job to comfort her sister.

“Richard is so mean with me!” She moaned, eyes full of tears.

She couldn’t understand why the boy treated her in that way, she never did something mean to him.

“Men are enigmatic, maybe more than women, daughter. Who knows, maybe it is his way to show his affection.” Told her mother one day, rebuking her for crying for such silly matters.

“Are you saying that Richard has affection for me, lady mother?” She asked, smiling this time.

The woman made a little smile in return without saying anything. She knew very well which were her husband’s plans. The earl wanted a possibility for her daughters to long for the throne of England and the only way was to unite them in a wedding with Edward’s brothers, George and Richard.

Anne was always by Richard's side, they used to ride horses together, they played together and Isabel and Francis Lovell joined them sometimes, Richard used to read stories about King Arthur and the Roundtable knights and Anne was fascinated by how he told them like all those characters were actually real.

"One day I'll be married to George Plantagenet and he'll love me very much" once said Isabel, who was just a year older than Richard.

"And I'll marry Richard, he'll love me more!" Exclaimed Anne, hugging Richard at his waistline. "Will you Richard, won't you?"

"When you'll older enough, my lady" he said caressing her hair and Anne smiled.

Richard was unbearable at times, but he never failed a promise, especially to her.


	2. Chapter 2

“Anne, you shouldn’t bother Richard, he’s training and he doesn’t have time to lose with your girly games.” Said her father, Richard Neville, at the dining table.

 “But, lord father, he’s my friend, why can’t I play with him?” She asked curiously and a bit hurt by her father's words.

 “He’s a boy, first of all, and most importantly he’s to become one of King Edward’s knights and he has to be ready.”

 “That’s why he’s here? You are teaching him to be a great knight as you are?” She asked now smiling.

 She always admired her father and she knew she was his favorite daughter.  Richard Neville smiled at her and ruffled her hair.

Anne went to her room and stared at her own image on the mirror. She wasn’t beautiful, not like her sister anyway or like the Queen. She had nothing special like golden ringlets, the color reminded her the straw, or candid skin like snow.

Richard told her he would have married her when she would have been older enough, but probably in the meantime, he would meet tons of beautiful ladies and probably he only sees her as a playmate, a little girl as he always addressed her.

She went to sleep with Isabel, who always told her the best stories, aside from Richard of course.

Her favorite was the Bad Queen story. Margaret Of Anjou story. Every time they mentioned it in front of Richard he would get angry, his face expression turned so quickly and Anne could notice that before everyone else and always changed the topic of the conversation.

 “I want to ride the horse alone!” She exclaimed, seeing Richard and Francis on their horses, ready to take a ride around the estate.

 “You’re too little, Anne” said Francis, laughing. “And Richard cannot take you with him every time”

 “Countess, could you take little lady Anne inside?” Asked cordially Richard and Anne Beauchamp nodded, taking her daughter with her.

 But Anne couldn’t accept it. She was old enough to ride a horse alone, without Richard. She was almost eight!

She sneaked out of her room and went to the stalls, where her father’s horse Midnight, was waiting for her. She took a footstool and mounted on him. She always helped her father and Richard in preparing horses for rides, so she knew what to do.

Midnight was a good horse and he seemed to like his master’s daughters, especially Anne.

She pulled the reins and followed the path that Richard and Francis took. There was a little forest not too far away from Middleham castle and they always went there.

But, one thing she surely didn’t have was the sense of orientation, that was one of Richard’s traits.

She got lost and she knew that the dark was coming fast. The sky was already not blue.

 “Richard…” she whispered, hoping that he would listen wherever he was.

 At all sudden, there was a thunder and Midnight got scared, making her fall. Luckily she fell on a pile of leaves. She moaned but nothing seemed damaged.

Midnight was gone and she was all alone. She hoped that her lady mother would call her from her chamber and seeing she wasn’t there, maybe they would have searched around the castle, and maybe her father was already on a horse to find her.

She began to cry. The forest was so scary without the sun rays.

 “Anne! Anne!” When she heard that someone was calling her, she raised up her head and tried to wipe up her tears.

The voice was clearer when someone was closer. “Anne!”

It was Richard and Anne was so happy to see him.

 “Richard!” She got up and went to him, who helped her to get on his horse, right before him.

They came back to the Middleham castle, where her family was waiting. Isabel and her mother had teary eyes and her father a severe expression.

He helped her to get off the horse, “You go to your chamber” he just said, without showing concern. She looked down and did as she was told, followed by Isabel.

Later, Richard was in front of her door and she let him in.

 “Anne, why did you disobeyed?” He said, clearly worried for her, but not showing it much.

 “I’m not a little girl and I wanted to ride with you and Francis…” 

 “But you have no sense of orientation or you would have returned to the castle not finding us”

 She nodded even if hearing the truth was hurting her.

 “You could get hurt, Anne, promise me you won’t do it ever again” he then said, making Anne surprised. He never was so direct with her.

 “I promise” She agreed.

...

"It seemed that you and Richard are already married, Annie" Isabel smiled widely and Anne blushed a bit.

"Why are you saying that?"

"Because, today we saw the great knight Richard falling from his horse, and while I and Francis were laughing you said nothing, but Charlotte told me that you went to him and you made sure he was all right, like mother does with father, to protect their dignity as soldiers." She used a solemn tone when she named Richard a great knight.

Anne blushed again. Charlotte, the cook, loved to gossip around the castle. But it was true, she thought he might be angry if she got worried at the moment he fell off, so she just asked him later and he also smiled sweetly.

 She felt that they were close more than ever. Her father could tell her that she had to stay away from him sometimes, but she knew Richard cared for her enough to spend his free time with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I added this chapter now because this weekend I'm not at home and probably I'll be back on Tuesday night and since I'll have an exam the next day I probably won't have time to update.  
> I hope you liked this one, it is like a "missing moment" from Anne and Richard childhood.


	3. Chapter 3

Anne Neville knew which was her part in her father’s plans, and even if she feared Margaret Of Anjou and her son Edouard of Lancaster, she would have proceeded without turning back and without fear, well, perhaps a bit of fear yes, especially when she had to face the scariest part: the first night as husband and wife.

She hated him, actually, she feared him more than his mother, and Margaret of Anjou was indeed a fearful woman. She was removed from her throne alongside Henry VI because she dared to do what was right, In her opinion, for England, and to secure the crown for her husband and his son. She controlled the king, and, besides, she was a French woman.  

But, Edouard shut her up many times, he always had those icy eyes on her, she never felt the warmth in his glances as she always observed with her parents or Edward and Queen Elizabeth.

Knowing about his reputation, many address him as a monster, even she did, she feared that he would have been the same in the bridal bed. And she wasn’t wrong.

“I don’t know what to do… nobody told me” she had a trembling voice but he didn’t give any sign of sympathy.

“You have to do nothing, just lie there… I would like to forget who you are…” He was referring to the fact that she was their once enemy and now an ally.

For all the time she kept her eyes tightly closed, trying to not think about what was happening, even if the pain tore her.

The following days she hoped that the consummation of the wedding wouldn’t have brought a child. It was the last thing she wanted.

Often she would brush her stomach, trying to perceive if there was already something inside her, knowing it was impossible to know a few days past the act.

She found herself thinking also of Richard. She saw him during the coronation of Elizabeth and she was impressed by the handsome young boy he became, he was thirteen and she nine, he always has been actually, but now, when she sees him her cheeks begin to turn warm and she knew they also became more rosy, almost red.

While they were at the table, after the ceremony, he also invited her to take a seat in front of him, only to her wish. Of course, she consented and they kept their eyes on the other for what it seemed an eternity.

Her heart was full of joy when she came to know that her father wanted her to be married to Richard. She could already picture her next to her Richard, this time husband, and wife for real.

And in the same rapidity, her heart broke into pieces when she realized it wasn’t possible anymore. She tried to ask her father if it was possible, but he always confirmed that it wasn’t. He was too much loyal to his brother the king. So she couldn’t marry him because of his loyalty.

She hated the thought that Richard knew they weren't 'engaged' anymore and didn't fought for it. She always thought that he wanted to marry her too, but she also knew that day was coming, the day that he would forget about his promise, probably it wasn't a real promise but just something he said because they were little, the day he would look around for other ladies and Elizabeth Woodville had a lot of sisters, rather beautiful like the Queen, Anne admitted in her head.

Her heart was now resigned, she was now the wife of the enemy of Edward and so of Richard and probably she would never see him again.

But maybe Margaret Of Anjou was right. You always get what you want.

Richard saved her from a group of soldiers who did not have any scruples on assaulting her, despite her screams and her claiming who she was.

“Lady Anne…”

Anne wanted to cry, but she did not.

“Princess Anne… I’m Princess Anne.” And by saying so, she took the hand of the valorous knight who helped her.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here the third chapter!   
> I'm always worried about the verbs, so if you find some errors please send me a message so I can adjust! Thank you!  
> Hope you like it. I can't write about Anne and Edouard, i tried but I can't, not at the moment, but if I'll have an idea I will write a missing moment and if there are others during writing the fanfiction I will make a collection of those :)


	4. Chapter 4

Anne Neville was willing to do anything in order not to live like a prisoner and having her own sister as wardress. She pitied her, she wasn’t angry with Isabel, because she was doing what George told her, for fear or for love she didn’t know. This war divided them and she feared that their relationship couldn’t be saved.

Anne knew what George was planning to do, he claimed of being her guardian - even if Anne found it quite funny since she was clearly old enough to  be a widow - and he would have kept her away from society avoiding her to me remarried, this wasn’t expressed by the Duke of Clarence but Anne suspected it. By doing so, he would have gained also her part of Neville’s fortune aside of his wife’s. 

She had to run away. Who to trust though? Everyone she knew was at the castle, and who would’ve helped the Lancaster’s widow?

Richard.

Richard wanted to help her.

Anne thought that her old friend was plotting along with George to take from her the part of the fortune, but how could she?

Richard spent time with her while dining in her room sometimes, after discovering that George was keeping her as a prisoner, but she never thought that could have been for his pleasure to be in her company because she knew very well that the boy didn’t like feasts.

She decided it was time to run away when George threatened to send her in a nunnery, he seemed very serious about it and Anne got scared. Obviously, she wanted Richard to know, she was hoping that the Duke of Gloucester could help her.

Richard gave her another option: to become a real Duchess, like Isabel. She could have been free and under the protection of the man she loved since she was a little girl. Why would she refuse such a proposal?

“You’ll get my fortune…” She still had this doubt in her head, and it was devouring her, she needed to know if Richard was still the boy she knew at Middleham.

“Yes, marrying you will make me a very wealthy man… but I’ll be a true husband because I love you…”

“You love me, Richard? Really?” She asked incredulously. She couldn’t believe that the young man in front of her could really love her, even if she always dreamed to hear those words from him.

“I do… Perhaps I always have.”

She looked him in the eyes and he seemed sincere. Richard would never lie to her, he was loyal to the king and he saved her when everyone had abandoned her. No, he couldn’t lie.

Richard asked her again to marry him and Anne hadn’t any more doubts, she wanted to become his wife, she always did.

…

Being Richard’s wife was everything she wanted, since forever. Although, she trembled at the thought of them sharing the bridal bed. How would it be with Richard? Was it normal to be as it was with Edouard?

Her mother never told her about the wife’s duty, but she did with Isabel and when her sister married George, she climbed up her bed with hurry during that night, and Anne asked her. No one ever told her that could have been something pleasurable also for her, so she always felt anxious about it.

As for the first wedding, Anne was already in bed, waiting for her husband. She looked around, her ladies already retired, leaving her alone with her fears and her countless questions.

When she heard the door opening up, she felt her heart racing seeing Richard walking in. It seemed that he ran to get there on time.

“I’m sorry for being late, Anne. Edward held me back because George still complains about our wedding” He says, smiling more than usual and Anne thought he might have been nervous too, she could feel it.

Anne shook her head smiling shyly, while her husband started to remove the boots.

 “Anne, come here…” She looked up to see him in the face. He was still smiling, but he seemed calm now.

Anne raised up from the bed, careful to not be too slow. She didn’t want to make him angry.

She was now closer to him and Richard took her hands, kissing them delicately.

“Would you like to help me to get undressed?” He asked her, noticing the nervousness that afflicted the now Duchess of Gloucester.

Anne was blushing, probably even more than before. Many times she stopped and wondered how could have been Richard underneath his clothes, sending them away immediately. It was not suitable for a lady to think such things, it was a sin.

She nodded shyly and with trembling hands, started to undress him. She did it with a lot of care, and after all, Richard was in no rush. They were married and no one could prevent them to take all the time they needed, especially that Anne needed. Richard figured out, without asking her, what was like her previous marriage.

When he was completely privy of his clothes, Richard asked her permission to do the same with her dressing gown. After that, they shared their first kiss as husband and wife, a slow and full of sweetness and passion, no luxury or rush.

Anne took the initiative, going back to the bed and Richard followed her, being careful that she didn’t hit somewhere while laying over.

“Anne… do you trust me?” He asked her and Anne stayed still and confused. Of course, she trusted him.

She nodded without thinking twice, caressing his face. Richard smiled and left kisses anywhere on her body. While Richard was praising the body of his wife with the simple touch of his fingers and his lips, Anne felt tears streaming down her eyes. Never she would have thought to feel so much loved and adored, and furthermore from him. She tried to suffocate her tears but she failed.

Richard immediately looked over her, clearly worried, and his hand reached for her cheek.

“Anne, dear, is everything fine?” He asked and she nodded rapidly.

“Never felt better, Richard, really.” She reassures him.

The boy smiled and kissed her another time. Then he took one of her hands and helped her to sit on his lap. Anne was even more confused by his actions.

“I want you to have control, Anne.” He simply said and Anne felt her heart beating so fast like it wanted to get out of her chest.

She touched his chest, it was more muscular than Edouard and the feeling underneath her finger was something she never felt, she held her breath.

If Anne already thought there was a connection between them, now she was sure of it. Their eyes never left the other’s, not for a second, and when they intertwined their hands, the now Duchess looked again at her husband and they kissed.

….

The next morning, Anne woke up all alone, the other side of the bed was cold at the touch and immediately got up and looked around. Was it just a beautiful dream? Wasn’t her beautiful Richard so close to her last night?

Anne blushed heavily when she brought her fingers to her lips, the events of the past hours resurfacing in her mind, and her head fell on the pillow again. She started to laugh like a child.

“You’re joyful this morning, dear wife.” Observed Richard walking into the chambers, making  Anne raise immediately.

He approached the bed and kneel down in front of her, touching her hair gently.

“You’re so beautiful.”

Anne blushed and her gaze pointed down, not for too long, though, because he lifted her chin with his hand. “It’s the truth. Sorry if I didn’t wait for you to wake up but I had some business.”

“Business more important than your wife?” She asked smiling and Richard did the same.

Anne asked herself if she was being blessed by the lord for seeing him smiling so much in so little time.

Richard has always been composed and serious. In fact, her sister Isabel mocked him for it. He never smiles, she would say, but it wasn’t true, because he always let her see a little smile.

“Of course nothing is more important than my wife, but since I'm a loyal subject and brother of the king, I  have to be ready to advise him when he needs it. At the moment we are in peace, but I fear what  George is thinking about…”

“A-are you saying that he could betray the king again?” She asked worriedly. She was thinking of her sister. She could not let people think she was a traitor too just because her husband was.

“Don’t worry, he told us that Isabel is with child and he will not put at risk his possible heir, not again.” She calms her down, brushing his thumb on her cheek. He could sense her worry for her sister. Actually, he didn’t know what was capable of his brother, he was just hoping that he was clever enough to not put at risk Isabel and the child she was carrying.

Isabel was pregnant. Anne felt the impulse to go to her, to hug her and let her know she was there, even after everything the two spouses made her endure.  

Now she had Richard and that night they could have already conceived a child, she would never fear anybody, no more.

“I Hope that I’ll be with a child soon, too, Richard. I want to give you a boy.”

Richard smiled and kissed her hands, “And I’ll be forever grateful, even if is a girl”

Richard added that they would have lived at Middleham castle, where they spent childhood.

Isabel took the first step, wanting to speak with Anne, and asking her forgiveness. Anne didn’t need that since they were little they were bonded and nothing would ever separated them, only death could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this chapter because is about their first time and the morning after <3 I think I'm not ready to write something more explicit but we'll get there ;)   
> I love so much Anne and Richard! What do you think of the chapter?


	5. Chapter 5

Anne was living a happy life. Richard went back and forth from the court, but every time he was at Middleham he dedicated his time to her.

The Duchess of Gloucester spent her days outside, with her ladies, but sometimes she preferred to be left alone, to lie down on the grass and hear the singing birds. And, after all, she wasn’t completely alone. The little one who was growing inside her kept her company.

She always ended up smiling at the memory of when she announced it to her husband. He looked at her with huge surprise and in his eyes, she could see a light that she hadn’t seen yet.

He would have cried for happiness, but he always reminded her that he was a man and men don’t cry. Anne burst out of laugh, Richard lifted her up holding her tightly and soon after he was apologizing with her and their child.

She closed her eyes at that thought, resting her hand on her belly, she was now happy to be able to feel those feet giving her little kicks, as he (she was completely sure it was a boy) was trying to say that he was there with her.

The only thing that scared her, now she was carrying a child, it was the thought that Richard could have not shared his bed with her or visited hers, if not to sleep.

She knew that the king had many mistresses and he didn’t hide it from the Queen.  Did Richard had a mistress too?

This thought tormented Anne, day and night, even when her dear husband was sleeping blissfully next to her.

He loved her and she knew that he always proved it, but she also knew that men have needs, that they must satisfy.

She opened up her eyes when the ladies announced the Duke’s return. Once her dress was quickly fixed, she went to her chamber, waiting for him.

“My lord…” She said, making a little curtsy.

“My lady…” He answered, walk up to her and kissing her gently.

“Has been a long journey, do you wish me to help you bath?” She asked, noticing that the tub was already been prepared and that Richard started to undress.

“Why don’t you join me, instead?” He proposed, arching his eyebrow.

“Actually I already took it.” She smiled, “But it’ll be my pleasure to help you relieving some tension from your shoulders...” she added, while Richard ended with the removing of his doublet and breeches.

“ I’m not asking more from my wife,” He said, smiling and getting in the tub. Anne smiled too, but that moment she felt also a bit sad. Richard didn’t wanted more from her?

Maybe when he would have his heir, he would start to ignore her completely, left her for another woman, more beautiful…

“Anne, is something troubling you?”

“No, everything is fine” Smiled again, but Richard wasn’t totally convinced.

That same night, Anne lie down, always careful to not hurt the baby, and Richard did the same.

“Anne, you’re sure that nothing is troubling you?” He asked again, he was worried since he hadn’t seen her with that expression if not before their wedding.

Anne took the hem of the sheets between her fingers and turn them a couple of times.

“I am sure, Richard, why are you ask-“

 “Anne, why are you lying? Don’t you trust me?”

“I do, Is not that… is just…” She had a trembling voice. If Richard would have admitted that he actually had a mistress at the court, she would have died inside and she rather not know it. She brought her hands on her stomach.

“You’re worried for our child?” He asked her, seeing her action.

“Of course I am worried! It can happen anything to me or to our child while you’re…”

“Don’t say that, ever again! I hate going so often at court to see my brother, but I have to, and believe me I’d rather stay here keeping you company all day instead of listening to George, who is trying to claim more than he already has, or to see Edward who has affairs with other women...”

Anne didn’t want to cry. Richard got right to the point. “And you? Did you had an affair with other women?”

She perfectly knew that that wasn’t considered betray if the wife was pregnant, it was just about satisfying a need, it wasn’t about love.

Richard couldn’t believe the words that came out his wife's mouth. “It’s true that in the past I had some affairs, and as you well know, I had two children…“

Yes, Anne knew about Richard’s illegitimate children and she never blame him for it, they weren’t married at the time and they were not betrothed to the other.

“I love you, Anne.” He cupped her face in his hands and looked right in her eyes.

“But you’re a man, Richard… and I can’t fulfill your needs at the moment” He could see tears forming in them.

“You’re the only one I want to fulfill them with, and I respect your indisposition because you will give life to our child.”

“So, you do not have a mistress at court?” She asks him again.

“No.” He answered. He wasn’t angry with Anne, he understood it was normal to think such things. But he was different.

Anne smiled, even if she couldn’t keep her tears.

“My beloved wife, how can you doubt the loyalty of your husband?”

Anne threw herself into his arms. She felt Richard’s hands on her hair, touching them gently. She fell asleep this way, into his arms.

When she opened up her eyes it was because of the sun who did overbearing in the room.

 She got up and went to sit in front of the mirror, to brush her hair which was of the color of the gold according to her husband, that’s why he always said that he had the most precious treasure with him.

The ladies came to help her to get dressed and to comb her hair. “Where’s the Duke?” She asked, maybe they saw him at breakfast or he got out early and he didn’t want to wake her up.

“He was called by the king, but he wanted to let you know that he’ll be back before you have to go to bed.” Anne smiled and she thanked her lady.

She spent the day in the library. It wasn’t customary for her, ladies should spend their days sewing or having conversations with other ladies, but there wasn’t someone to speak with and Richard has always been a lover of knowledge and he read a lot. Sometimes she just stayed next to him and make him read something.

She liked in particularly, and apparently also Richard, the Knights' stories, like the story of Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere. The two were lovers but she had to marry someone else and when they have been caught up together, she had to go to a nunnery and he became a hermit.

The Duchess took the book with her and she went to her chambers. She sat on the edge of the bed and with a hand, she held the book, and the other was resting where her baby was. He was awake, she could know from the kicks that she felt and she always winced a little.

Suddenly she felt the knock on the door and she gave the order to enter. “Anne…”

“Richard!” She exclaimed happily to see him so soon. She left the book on the bed and ran towards him.

“I brought you a letter from your sister,” he told her, handing a letter with a signet.

Anne took it from his hands, excited to hear news from her. She opened up wasting no time. “Ah! Isabel is saying that George will let her come here to see me, can she Richard, right?”

“Sure… she’s your sister and he’s my brother after all.” He said, even if he wasn’t so excited at the thought because he and George weren’t in good terms recently, and he did not want that tension near to his Anne. He always was smiling and patient with her, he couldn’t be seen troubled and annoyed.

“Were you reading?”  He asked, seeing the book on the bed. 

“Oh yes, the story of Sir Lancelot, Oh Richard, would you read it for me? No, would you read it for us?” she asked him, pointing her stomach.

“Would be my pleasure, just let me remove the doublet and my sword.”

Anne was pleased to help him, so she approaches him shyly and started to unbuckle his belt. He was then just in his shirt and breeches.

“You still blush, even if we’re married for months now” He observed and Anne blushed.

“Yes, and I still can’t believe that we actually are” She smiled.

She winced and Richard looked at her worried, so she just took his hand and brought it where he could feel his child kicking.

“Wow, is very strong” He wasn’t used to the thought of being soon a father.

“And he will be, like his father, a brave knight and with a noble heart.”

“And as his granddads as well.”

They kissed sweetly, touching the other’s face, as they didn’t want to end it. They soon after went to bed, and Richard read for Anne and their child.

…

“Annie, I'm so happy that George consented me to come here, I’ve missed you!” The two sisters hugged, happy to be reunited with the other.

“I’m so happy too, Izzy, tell me, how are you?” She asked her sister, noticing her prominent belly, it was a matter of time for her to give birth.

“I’ve been less sick than the last time, and George is so sweet and tender to me, he’s not mean as you may think” she added when she noticed her sister looked unsure of it.

“Could be, but when he was my guardian, he was not kind as you are saying.”

“You secretly married his brother and this hurt him!” Isabel said and Anne was holding back a laugh _Sure, the fact he didn’t get my part of the fortune hurt him._

“There were advantages for both and… I love him and he loves me.”

Isabel smiled moved by what Anne said. She remembered a little version of Anne, who always wanted to play with Richard, she was always with him, at least until their father would scold her.

“I’m so happy for you, Annie” They hold their hands and smiled happily.

“Who’s the victim of your chattering, my ladies?” Asked Richard, interposing in the peace that enclosed the two sisters.

“Oh, well, we were speaking about you and Anne, Richard. Do you remember every time that father had to take away from you our little Anne?”

“Yes, I remember it very well. Anne always had an answer for everyone, but not for  your father.”

“I hope, that since you’re her husband, she’ll listen also to you, little brother…” George said, as always, so pleased of himself.

“We listen to each other, George, this is what being married means to me” he answered, smiling a little. Has always been like this between them.

Isabel smiled, slightly in embarrassed. George never treated her as Richard did with Anne. She envied her but with no spite because she loved her. She just hopes that one day also her husband could have loved her.  She wasn’t pretending much, just a little.

“I’m sorry, I am a bit tired, you know…” she alluded to her pregnancy and Richard made a little curtsy to salute her while she was leaving with one of her ladies and then he kissed the hand of Anne.

…

“how’s Isabel?”

Anne was brushing her hair after her ladies helped her with the undressing and preparing her for the night.

She turned to see her husband and Richard saw her worried. With time he learned every facial expression of his beloved. When he was little he couldn’t imagine that could have been so many shades of someone’s personality. To him, there was only angry Anne and happy Anne. Recently he knew worried Anne, pleased Anne, in love Anne, offended Anne and many other.

“I’m worried about her, Richard. George is not a good husband for her.”

“I see, my brother is a difficult man and your sister is… delicate.”

Richard didn’t want to use the word ‘frail’, even if thinking of Isabel it was the only word he could think.

 “Isabel knows which is her part as a wife, but she wasn’t lucky enough in finding someone who could tell her that she can be more than an obedient woman and a quiet one.” She went towards the bed where Richard was already.

“Oh, so you won’t be obedient anymore?” Anne smiled at his words. “But you’re right. We can do nothing, I just hope that the birth of his son will make him find his reason and be grateful to  Isabel, she’s carrying his son after all. For this matter, you’re fine, right?”

Anne nodded with her head on his chest. “Just a bit sick, the midwife said is normal for some women.”

“That’s a relief, I feared you were ill and the baby…” Richard brought a hand on his wife’s stomach and kissed her.

“He’s still here…”

“You’re so convinced it’s a boy?”

“Completely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!  
> Hope you like this chapter. In the tv series we didn't had hints that Richard had mistresses and i think he didn't after marrying Anne but i wanted to point it out since i would have liked to see it u.u


	6. Chapter 6

Anne has never screamed so much in her entire life, it was like thousand bones were breaking altogether. She wished there were Isabel or Richard by her side, but her sister was taking care of her daughter Margaret and Richard wasn’t back from the court yet. But he would soon because she sent for him.

“Duchess Anne, you must push!” She heard the midwife. One of the ladies was there to do some backrub to calm her down.

She was on her foot against the bed because she couldn’t lie down due to her back hurting. She had ropes to pull tightly.

“Ahhhhh” Anne breath was unstable, her heart was racing fast, she was scared it could explode.

She heard shouting outside of the room, “My lord you can’t go in there!” “My lord!”

Richard entered the room, with heavy breath. “Anne…” he went directly to his wife and took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips and not looking away from her eyes.

“Oh, Richard… is it you? Or is it just an illusion?”

“Sorry if I wasn’t here before, my love.”

Anne smiled. She was tired but happy, and this gave her an incentive do to as the midwife was saying.

When they heard the baby crying, Anne felt her heart full of joy.

“You did it, Anne…” Richard whispered softly in her hair, watching the little baby being enfolded in a white cloth. He felt the urge to take his child in his arms, but the ladies prevented it before he could do it. 

“My lord, you have to leave now. We will send for you when the child and Lady Anne will be both presentable.”

Richard nodded unwilling to leave his wife and their child, but he got out and brought a hand on his mouth. He was a father, now, and he couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t there when his children, Katherine and John were born, so it was a brand new feeling for him.

When they let him enter again, Anne was clean, tucked under the sheets and was holding their baby.

“Is it a boy?” He asked,  Anne smiled feebly.

“Yes, it is. But he’s small…” She said, not looking away from him like she was concentrating on some particular about the baby.

Richard understood what Anne meant when he got closer to them. Indeed he was small, almost as if he was not completely healthy.

“They say he’s premature, they say he should’ve been in my body for another month…”

Richard could see tears to form in his wife’s eyes. He took place next to her and asked her if he could take their son in his arms.

“He will grow, Anne, and he’ll be so strong…” But it was like Anne wasn’t even listening to his words. As soon as the baby wasn’t in her arms, she lay down on the other side, as she didn’t want to see him.

It took days before she could look at her son for more than 10 seconds.

Richard spent all his time, when he was at home, with his son, Edward was the name he chose, to honor his brother the King.

Edward was a cheerful little boy even if he seemed frail about his health. Richard noticed his eyes, even if they hadn’t a definite color yet, they seemed like Anne’s and also his smile, and for that Richard was grateful.

But his wife seemed to not love their child. She never wanted to hold him neither staring at him for more than a minute. He didn’t want to give up, though, she was his love and his family.

“Anne, the wet nurse thinks that you should nourish him,” Richard told her one day with Edward in his arms.

“But I…”

“I know, but she thinks that you will create a stronger bond with him and that he could get stronger with it.”

Anne looked down when he tried to handing her the baby.

“Anne, he’s your son.” He said now, firmly.

“Oh yes? And why he’s so small and weak? I was carrying a strong child, like you or our fathers, we said he was.” She was angry, not with little Ned, no, but with herself. It was her fault for she bore a weak child.

“He’s a strong boy, Anne. He’s our son, he was made with love. Our love.” He was sure that their Edward would have been a strong man one day, he was the living proof of their love. “And I love you, Anne.” Maybe he just needed to tell her that.

“You love me? Even if my body gave birth to a weak child, you still love me?”

“Of course, Anne! What…”

Richard didn’t add anything else and took Edward back to the wet nurse because he started crying, probably he was hungry.

That same night, Edward was sleeping peacefully in his crib, Anne stared at him and with difficulty, she could recognize him as hers. How could this happen to her? Was it a divine sign that forbid her having strong and healthy children? Was it because she married Edouard of Lancaster? Or because her father had committed sin by betraying the king that God himself chooses for England?

Most of all, she feared that Richard could have left her for a stronger woman that could give him strong children.

Edward started to cry after opening up his eyes. Anne panicked. Even her son was blaming her now? He was telling her that was her fault if he was born weak?

Instinctively she took him in her arms and she cradled him to see if he would have stopped but he would not and Anne, without thinking, unlaced her nightgown and took him near her breast. He started to eat as if he wasn’t eating for days.

It was a strange sensation but pleasant. Anne looked down and finally recognized her son in the child she was nourishing.

While he was eating, Anne caressed his little head, smiling.

“Son… my son… yes, you’re my little Edward, my little Ned…” She said with tears forming in her eyes.

Richard entered the chamber after hearing the lament of his son, and when he saw  Anne giving him food, he smiled moved by that scene he was longing to see.

Anne became aware of the presence of her husband and smiled to him, “Richard… look at him.”

Meanwhile, he approached his family and kneel before them.

“I love you, Anne.”

Anne smiled and kissed Richard.

…

Edward grew day by day and Anne was happy. Still, she treated him like he was made of glass, always worried that he might break, getting sick with fever.

When Richard came back from the court, she was holding him and cradling him to sleep, but it seemed that little Edward knew his father was coming so he did not sleep.

“How’s our boy?” Richard asked and Anne smiled, “He’s well.” He took him into his arms. Ned was the light in his eyes. It hurt him every time he had to leave them, even if just for one day.

“Missed you, Richard” He wanted to tell her that he missed her too, so much, but she knew he did even without him saying it. They kissed.

“I’m so happy here, in Middleham, and I don’t feel alone like before because I have Ned now…” She caressed her son’s feet making him giggle.

“Anne, you need to know something… I brought someone with me…”

Anne became rather worried when he told her that she needed to know something, was it something bad that happened? Isabel perhaps?!

“Please, Richard, not your mother…”

Anne used to love Cecily, Richard’s mother, she was her favorite aunt and she knew she was her favorite niece, but she was changed since Edward sat on the throne of England and Anne didn’t want to speak or to behave like a royal duchess. She liked to be important, but she just wanted to be Richard’s wife and live away from London.

She turned the head and saw instead her own mother, the Countess of Warwick.

Edward cried like he felt his mother’s anger. Richard tried to calm him down, but not succeeding, he called for Joan, his nanny.

“Why did you do this to me?” Anne said, clearly furious with her husband, once they were alone.

“I thought you’d be happy to have her here, safe from George ambition about your family’s fortune…”

“She cursed me! Just because I married you” She exclaimed, but then she looked down. She thought that her mother would have been happy to hear she was alright and that she did marry someone she loved and that they knew since forever.

Her mother was so affectionate to Richard when he was in Middleham and was just a kid.

So, she felt sad and left behind by her again while reading that letter.

Richard took her hands, searching for her eyes to look into his, “Anne, you don’t have to speak with her, nor seeing her, it’s like she’s not even here…”

No, Anne couldn’t pretend she was not there, just the thought of it was difficult to send away from her mind.

“Will you accompany me to her?” She asked softly and Richard smiled, bringing his hand to her cheek.

“Of course I will, and I’ll be there just outside to wait for you”

Anne didn’t know where she would have been without him, he was her strength and her life.

“Mother…”

“You brought me here, so you can steal my fortune…” she said, in a coolly way. Anne was not shocked or surprised by her affirmation, after all, that’s what she thought of Richard when he brought her back to London and left her under the wardship of his brother George.

She didn’t want to reassure her, she was pretty angry with her mother who left her with Margaret of Anjou to her fate, while she was safe in a sanctuary.

“You abandoned me on the battlefield…” She started, fear that she would end up crying in front of her mother, but she was Anne of Gloucester now, a royal Duchess, so she put every effort in not breaking down, “I was a child, alone… in terror for my life and you ran away to save yourself!”

Her mother seemed indifferent in front of the accusation by her own daughter. She seemed not to care at all.

“You must accept any fate Richard thinks it is better for you…” She answered when she tried to get help to get out of Middleham.

“Even if he wants me dead?” She asked, with an ironical little smile.

What? Richard would never want that. He specifically said that he brought her here just for her sake, so why would he do that? Anne got panicked.

“What?!”

“it is how we resolve the problem of your mother’s fortune,” said Richard, coming out of his hideout, he was just behind the door, waiting for Anne and hear if there would be any problems.

Anne got almost scared of Richard’s attitude towards her mother. He never saw him angry, not really anyway. She watched him leave and thought she should follow him to cool him down, but her mother stopped her.

“Anne, you can’t let him do this, please”

“You abandoned me, mother, Richard saved me… so my love and trust are utterly with him” she said.

She said that it was because he saved her at Tewkesbury, but it wasn’t completely true, yes she was thankful that he saved her, but her heart was his for way more time.

She left her mother’s chambers and went straight to her husband, who was walking in the gardens. He turned when she called him and waited for her to hold on his arm.

“I’m sorry for my behavior, Anne, is just that…”

Anne hushed him smiling, “Don’t apologize, my mother was unfair with you, she knows very well how much different you and George are, she’s just frustrated for all that happened.”

“I will try to make up with her, I know how much you care for her, even if you try to be strong, which is a quality I admire very much, but you don’t have to hide your feelings from me”

“Once you said that I reminded my own father for my bravery” She laughed and Richard smiled softly.

“Yes, a true Neville.”

Anne would never disclaim her name, she was, and she will always be a Neville, so she smiled and hugged Richard. They rarely showed affection outside their chambers. Richard wasn’t that kind of man that would show those attentions, not because he did not love her, but he preferred to keep them as private as possible.

He gave in at the embrace and held her tight, breathing the scent he found while resting his lips to her hair. She always smelled like honey and it always helped him to calm himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this came out late, i needed to add something.  
> So, i've always wanted to see Edward's birth and i thought that Anne could think he was weak because premature, thinking that she and Richard would just have strong and healthy children. We all know that Ned was easily ill so this is my version of Anne first reaction to him, not that she did not loved him but she felt guilty, probably thinking that Richard would have left her for that, but as you read, she recognized him as her son in the end.  
> I didn't include Isabel in the scene of the childbirth, but there will be more moments of the Neville sisters together ^^  
> Hope you liked it ^^


	7. Chapter 7

It was a warm afternoon at Middleham Castle, Anne was with her son Ned, while Richard was in his office, reading the various papers about the situation of his lands. Being the Lord of the North was a significant task for him, but also very challenging. It took so much time that he would spend with his family, but it was his job, he could not ignore it.

His mind was fully focused on the piece of paper that was in his hands, when Anne came in.

“Richard, there’s an harbinger from the court… Edward wants you to go as soon as you can.” He could feel sadness in her voice, even if she was trying to hide it with a smile.

Anne hated when the King showed that he cannot do things on his own. She was proud of her husband, he was one of the most trusted men in England, the people of the North were happy to have him as their Lord and King Edward always relied on him for advices. But, on the other hand, she felt that he was more distant than the first period of their marriage.

“Anne, don’t worry, I’m sure it will be a matter of a day and I’ll be back as soon i finish my duty toward the king, just in time to wish goodnight to our son and to lie in your arms.”

Anne smiled at his words, one thing she loved of him was that he always managed to find the right words. She closed her eyes feeling his lips on her forehead and then he kissed both her hands, leaving for preparing for the trip.

 She wanted to speak with her mother, but she knew that the Countess would only try to defame her husband and curse her love for him even more, maybe also their son, and she could not let her.

Isabel wrote her to be patient and she begged her to find some usual activity that ladies should do to fool the time while her husband wasn’t at home.

She also asked for Margaret and Ned to meet, even both were just infants, but in these times just the mention of his brother George would make Richard annoyed and she didn’t want to see him worried when he was with them. Although, she really wanted to see her sister.

 Francis stayed at Middleham, he wanted to leave with his friend but Richard asked him to be with Anne and his son and Francis couldn’t disobey to his dear friend and lord.

“He’s a big boy already, I wonder how much of Dickon he will have” he said, he was keeping company to Anne while she was with Edward.

“I guess his hair” she smiled, seeing the dark wisp of hair of her son, “And he will have all his valors. One day he will be a great Lord of the North, like his father.”

Francis smiled. It was hard to imagine the little Anne that he knew very well, compared to the woman in front of his eyes. She did grew up, even if she was just 16 years.

“Why are you looking at me, Francis?” Anne asked, intrigued and curious by her friend.

“Nothing, just thinking that you were a sweet little girl and now you have a son, Dickon is lucky to have you.”

Anne blushed and smiled, “yes, he is.” She raised her head, agreeing with him.

Ned fell asleep and Anne gently put him in the cot and tucked in the blanket she made for him while she was pregnant. She stared at him and gave a little caress on his puffy cheek.

“We should leave now, or he will wake up.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Francis, we know each other since I was four, you should call me Anne, as always.”

“Yes, my lady Anne.” He said solemny but smiling.

Anne laughed and, with her hands on Francis’s arm, they got out the nursery.

Richard kept his word and he came back two days after, just in time to put Ned to sleep for the night.

“Did you two spent nice days? What did I missed?” He asked, holding his son, almost ready to fall asleep.

“Well, your wife forced me to spend my time with her and the other ladies.” Francis answered, yawing.

“I’m sorry I missed all the fun.” Richard smiled, not envying his friend but surely he thought it was a better way to spend the day than his. He put Ned in the cot and handed his arm to Anne.

“Well, now if you excuse us, Francis, I need my husband in our chambers.” Anne squeezed lightly Richard’s arm and he smiled.

“Of course, I do not want to know the details, good night, my lord, my lady Anne…” he said, making a little curtsy and making Anne laugh, she brought a hand on her mouth.

When they were in their chambers, Anne dismissed her maids and Richard realized that she wanted him to help her out her dress and he would gladly do that.

He slowly unlaced the laces and unleashed her hair from the tides.

“Would you please brush my hair?” She asked, giving him a mischievous look.

“I thought you wanted me in our chamber, yes, but not to do your maids work…” He replied, taking the brush.

She smiled blushing, “By the way, I see you and Francis get along well” he then hinted.

Anne turned to see her husband, holding a smile, “Richard, are you jealous?” She asked.

“Why? Should I be?” he asked back, leaning near to her face. “Tell me, Lady Anne, should I be jealous of Francis?” She blushed deeply, getting lost in the eyes of Richard.

“You know you shouldn’t”

“Do I?” he placed the brush on the dressing table and run his fingers through her hair.

“Yes, you do.” She answered, getting up and turning around him. She let her nightgown fall at her feet and getting on the bed.

“Should I remind you, Richard?”

Richard was tired, but not tired enough for giving to his wife the attentions she needed and that he needed from her.

They made love and then Richard lay, as he promised, in her arms. Solely it was the opposite, Anne loved to stay with her head on his chest, but Richard loved to stay in the valley of her breasts.

“How’s your brothers?” Anne asked and Richard smiled, caressing her belly. All he could think in that moment was that he wanted Anne to be pregnant again.

“As usual, Edward with his mistresses and George even more ambitious as he is normally… he wants France.”

“France? So… this means you will go to France and conquer it for him?”

“I want to conquer France, but not for George… our Father owned some French territories.”

“But Richard… a war?! It could be dangerous” Anne exclaimed, worried for her husband, she knew that day would have come some day, but she wasn’t ready, probably she never would.

Richard looked at her and cupped her face.

“Don’t worry, Anne, you know I will return, I will have your blessing and your letters. You will write to me, right?”

“Of course I will.”

…

Everything was sorted, the three sons of York would have left for France. Anne thought it was not a good idea, she knew that even if the King promised the crown of France to George, her brother-in-law wouldn’t stop there, he wanted more. He always wanted the entire fortune of the Neville and the propriety of Middleham Castle. Marrying Richard, Anne felt she could count on his protection and, of course, on his love.

Edward, her Ned, was a beautiful little boy of two, he had dark hair and blue eyes, he always reminded her of Richard and that was a relief, she was glad of it. He was frail concerning his health, many times Anne prayed the lord to not take him with every fever, and her prayers had always been heard.

When Richard came back from London, Ned went toward him happy to see his father, holding the hand of his mother and Anne telling him to not be in hurry.

“My son, how are you?” Richard asked, taking him into his arms.

Anne step aside him, laying her hand on his arm, to make him notice she was there too. Indeed he did noticed, even if he was so taken by his son, and kissed her sweetly.

“Richard, when do you have to leave?”

“Morrow morning…”

Anne’s face became sad and Richard did noticed that too, luckily Ned’s nanny was there and he called her, asking to take their son to Francis, who was just like an uncle to Ned.

When they remained alone, Richard  grabbed gently her arms, stroking them.

“My love, you knew I had to leave soon or later.”

“It’s been two years since Edward expressed this will to leave for France… I hoped it never came this day.”

“Now or later would have happened anyway, if not France, for an another campaign, I’m a knight, remember?”

“And you are my husband, remember?! Edward’s father, our son, do you remember this?” she said, furious almost in tears.

“Anne… you can’t think always that way and you can’t speak to me like that for I am indeed your husband!”

Anne didn’t like his sudden coldness and she looked at him confused, then she turned around giving him her back.

“I’ll see you at dinner…” He then said, leaving without saying anything else.

How could Richard being so egoist not thinking what he was leaving behind? Anne had all the world’s reasons to remind him what he had and what she gave him.

Or maybe it was her being an egoist? She knew very well how much Richard loved glory in battle and after tasted it in Barnet and Tewskbury, even if was bitter for all the losses, he couldn’t do without if the chance was there. After all, it was his duty as a soldier and husband, while she had to stay at home and make children. Children who didn’t come, except for Edward.

She had to say sorry first, if she would not, she surely would have regret it if something was to happen to Richard.

While they were dining they were both silent, Anne couldn’t say a word and Richard kept his eyes on his plate. Little Ned had eaten early and was waiting for the goodnight.

Anne grabbed Richard’s hand, who barely looked at her, to go to their son’s chambers where they wished him sweet dreams.

Then she went, on her own, in their chambers, originally it was just hers but they decided that they would never slept apart.

She started to worry whem, after dismissing her maids, Richard didn’t showed. She left her hair unbraided and she only wore a nightgown that left very little to the imagination, she knew that Richard liked it.

When the door opened, she raised her head and saw her husband.

“Richard… I was starting to think that you would not sleep here but in your chambers” she said, smiling, pretending nothing happened that late afternoon.

Richard didn’t say anything until he was close to  the bed, “We promised to each other to never sleep apart” he said and Anne couldn’t figure out his current mood.

She turned around her fingers the fabric of her nightgown and took the courage to speak.

“I’m Sorry!”

“I’m sorry”

They said together. Their eyes met and they were both surprised.

“Y-You’re sorry, Richard?”

“Yes… I shouldn’t have speak in that manner, you and me are a team, I’m not your master and you’re not my handmaid. Anne, forgive me” he said, taking her hands in his.

Anne smiled again, “I should ask for you to forgive me… I know how is important for you being a soldier and you don’t have to feel the oblige to stay here just because of me… You’re a strong and brave soldier, and I know you will always come back to me.”

Rchard kissed her hands and then on the lips, with such passion that Anne thought he wanted to devour her.

“I will always come back to you, and Ned” He said, touching her forehead with his.

“I’d like to greet you properly, husband.”

Richard smiled and kiss her again, with even more passion if possible. He took off his doublet and shirt and now was just with his breeches.

He did not waited more and started to unlace the laces of her nightgown, slowly uncovering her skin, kissing every bit of it as he always did.

Richard never thought it was a waste of time to praise the body of his wife, he couldn’t do without, she was perfect and she was Anne. With his previous lovers he always aimed only to his pleasure, while with Anne it was like hers was more important.

“Richard…” She murmured, her fingers in his curly hair, “Please…” she begged him, he was too much a teasing man, she loved that but she needed to feel him.

“Please what, my love?” He asked, smirking. He knew very well what his wife was aching for, but he had to admit that he loved to see her in this state of pleasure.

Anne moaned and pull tighter on his hair making him groan, “You’re too impatient” he said, kissing her and then getting up to got off his breeches.

She arched her back when she felt his thrust and they made love very passionately.

When they were both fully satisfied, Anne rested her head on  his chest while he was soothingly caressing her shoulder and arm.

“I cannot bear the thought of losing you, not now…” she said suddenly, raising her glance to him.

“I have to confess that I am a little worried by George’s sudden call to arms…”

Anne frowned, she was worried too. George wanted more power for himself, she sometimes wondered if he cared for Isabel and little Margaret sake. If he was going down they would go down with him.

“…maybe he will be cautious now that Isabel is with child again…” she heard him say, Isabel was with child and this time her sister prayed it to be a boy, she wrote it to Anne in a letter she received a few days before.

Anne wasn’t with child since the birth of Ned, this made her feel useless. The primary duty of a wife, except for fulfill her husband’s needs and being obedient, it was to bear children. Queen Elizabeth had already six children with the King while she had just one son since she and Richard were married. Richard always said that she succeeded where the Queen and Isabel failed, their firstborn were girls while she gave birth first to a boy.  But that didn’t changed Anne’s thoughts; What if she was supposed to have just one child? Would Richard repudiate her?

“You are not?” He asked her, searching for her eyes. What was she supposed to say? Certainly she was not, even if she had hoped to feel a little bump every time her hand would casually land on her stomach, and sometimes it happen for her to cry silently. Richard would never know that.

She took a little breath and tried to smile as much as she could, “No, but soon, I’m sure of it.” Or, this was what she was hoping for. “We’ll have a dozen of babies, as many as the Queen” Hers was a endeavor  to convince more herself than Richard.

Richard looked at her, she was hiding her eyes at first, but then she smiled and all he could think of was that he never cared to have ‘a dozen of babies’. Yes, he love children and he wanted a lot of them with Anne, but what mattered the most was Anne herself. He didn’t know what could have been his life without Anne. He could live thinking that his only legitimate son was to be Ned, but to think to live in a world without her? That was unbearable.

“I don’t mind if we don’t… as long as I have you and my own honor.”

Anne was moved by his words. How could she be so lucky to be in love with a man like Richard? And he loved her back as well.

They kissed again and they made love until it was time for him to leave, but before he could, Anne took the rosary she used for her prayers and gave it to her husband.

“Anne, I cannot…” he tried to say but Anne put it in his hands and he hold hers between his.

“Please, I won’t be too much worried if you take it with you, just do it for me, my love.” She pleaded him with worry in her voice.

“For you, my love” and he kissed her hands. Then, she gave her blessing as his wife to return home safe to her and Ned and watched him go.

The same day she went at court, to stay with the Queen and the other ladies, waiting for the King and the soldiers from France. Her son stayed back at Middleham even if Anne wanted to take him with her badly, it hurt her to be apart from her son and she understood how Richard would feel every time he had to travel. Anne was happy, thought, because she could stay with her sister, whom was already showing her condition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo, in this chapter there is my first attempt to write a mature scene. I did bad, i know, but if there will be others i promise to get better at it ;)   
> Anyway i hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what do you think!


	8. Chapter 8

 

London, June 1475

 

 

Anne was happy to be with Isabel again, she didn’t liked to be at the court, but with Izzy would have been different, more pleasant maybe. Or a way to distract from the thoughts of Richard in a battlefield.

Even thought her sister seemed quite troubled, like she was afraid somehow. Anne wondered if she was worried for George. Indeed that could be the reason, since she was carrying their child and Anne knew very well that hers was the fear that every woman felt when their husbands, brothers or fathers go to war.

She was worried too for Richard, of course, in fact she prayed every moment she could, for her husband to be back home safe and sound. She also prayed to be with child again soon.

Her prayers had been heard. She did not bled and that could mean just a thing: she was with child.

Isabel was with her when she found out, she Anne couldn’t hid it from her, but she refused to send a letter where she would tell Richard about it, he would know it directly from her when he would be back.

Her child was just a little bump in her stomach, but it was giving already so much joy to Anne and her husband would have feel the same.

“I hope it will be a boy” said Isabel, smiling to her sister.

Anne was caressing her stomach soothingly, “It doesn’t really matter to us, Richard told me that we already have our boy, now he would love to have a daughter.” She replied and Isabel looked astonished. Probably George hadn’t the same opinion as his younger brother.

“I’m happy for you, Anne, really am.” Isabel took her hand and hold it tightly. “How’s mother?” She then asked. Isabel would never admit it, but she missed her mother a lot.

Anne sighted and tried to smile, “She’s fine, she has her own chambers and she’s eating, if just she didn’t hate so much Richard to even curse me for marrying him would be better…”

“She doesn’t hate Richard, he always has been her and father’s favourite ward”

Anne raised her shoulders. Isabel was right, but maybe she didn’t appreciated the fact that he preferred to be on Edward’s side and not his husband’s.

…

News on Ned from Middleham came often, as she expressly asked.  Joan, his nurse, said he was perfectly in health and that he only missed his father and mother, but that was pretty normal since he was just a boy of almost three years. She held the letter to her chest, right to her heart.

Richard sent her various letters too, he wasn’t content of the campaign. He lamented on how Edward wasn’t a man of honor, he didn’t explicated what was happening, but Anne hoped she could relieve his anger with her good news.

She was heading to her chambers when she felt a sharp pain to her stomach. She felt something gliding on her legs and when she saw it was blood she almost fainted. She touched the blood with two of her fingers and stared at it with eyes wide open.

Luckily a lady was heading that way and saw her, “lady Anne!” She screamed running towards the girl.

Isabel was going to say goodnight to her sister when she assisted to the scene, she ran too and helped the woman, taking her sister to her chambers.

“Call a physician, Hurry! My sister could lose her baby!” Isabel exclaimed. The woman already knew it was too late, but she did as she was told anyway.

The physician confirmed what they were fearing. The child was lost and possibly, it was boy.

“Anne it was her! The witch!” Isabel told her later, when they were alone. Anne thought she looked like a mad.

“What are you saying, Isabel?”

“Do you remember the other day? She wished us to be as fertile as our mother and she never had a boy to live as long as the two of us! Your baby was to be a boy, Anne”

“I know… But she can’t do such things!” Anne was anger , yes, she didn’t liked the Queen and she could have hated them because of their father, but do something like this to an another woman? She knew very well it was terrible to lose a child.

“Annie, you are so naïve…” Isabel took her hand and gave a little smile, then she left her alone.

Anne thought about her child. She could have named him Richard, after his father and both his grandfathers. Her husband would gladly agree, even if sometimes he confided her that he wanted to name one of his sons after his brother Edmund. Anne was little when he died so she couldn't remember him well, but Richard was always ready to tell her about him and his father, the Duke of York.

She then started to sob with her face on the pillow.

…

London - September 1475

 

“Lady Mother, the king is back from the war!”

Little Elizabeth, called Lizzie or Bess, entered in the room with the Queen and her ladies, included Anne. Isabel had to leave after receiving a letter from George telling her to come back to Warwick Castle.

The Queen got up quickly and she went out with her children. Anne waited for everyone to be out, she looked down at her belly. Now she would be almost four months pregnant. She had to tell Richard.

She took a deep breath and then she reached the others in the courtyard. When Anne saw Richard, she felt reassured and glad that he didn’t seemed injured. She went closer to his horse.

“Richard” she called him softly, enough to be heard just by him.

He got off smiling a little. They kissed and Anne sensed something was wrong, she already knew it from the letter she received.

“He laughed. He said I was a fool for chivalry,” Richard said with coldness in his eyes. Anne was worried, she never saw him in this state. Like he had lost the trust and his loyalty towards Edward. She tried to calm him down, passing slowly her hand on his armor.

 … 

They got back to Middleham castle, where they embraced little Ned. Anne was so happy to see her son after four months apart.  

“You’ve grown so much, my little boy” She said, after the hug.

“Mother, missed you!”  

“I missed you too, so much” She said smiling while Richard approached them. He gave Ned a little kiss on his cheek and then went to his chambers.  

Edward seemed confused, solely Richard was more affectionate with him and Anne tried to reassure him, “Your father is tired from the campaign, he’ll greet you properly later.” Ned nodded and Anne told Joan to take him around the garden for a bit, she needed to speak with the Duke.  She wanted to tell Richard about the miscarriage, she played with her sweaty hands. Her heart was beating so fast.

 “Richard…” she started, but then she realized he was concerned.

She came closer and called him a second time but it was like he wasn’t listening to her. “How can he do this to me? Edward is trying to buy my honor now! He clearly confused me with my brother George”  

“Then send it back and show him you’re not like him.” She tried to say, to make him see that she was beside him, in any occasion.  

“Everything I thought i knew has been shaken, perhaps there no honor in anyone and each of us is alone.” 

Richard wasn’t alone, she was with him, she would always be by his side, that’s what they promised when they married, to be there for the other, facing everything together.

“We are not alone, cause we have each other.” She said, smiling, but Richard only stared at her.

He wasn’t the same, she feared that she was losing him too, after the baby.

...

Anne returned to her chambers. She felt so alone in that moment. The only sparkle of light in her life was little Ned, but she didn’t want to let her son to see how his mother was suffering.

Richard could really divorced from her? Maybe that was the cause of his coldness toward her and their son. Was he not in love with her anymore? Was he tired of her?

She made him promise to never share his bed with a woman that wasn’t her. Maybe she should have consented him to have a mistress. She knows he’s a man of word and probably it hurt him to be so honorable. Could he be envious of his brother Edward to have a lot of women to share his bed? The Queen never object it, not publicly at least.

Could it be that he missed Kate Haute, his former mistress? She is also the mother of Kathryn, Richard feels affection for both, he never denied that. But what he felt for Kate could it be love? The love he said he felt for her?

Anne couldn’t hold back the tears forming in her eyes. Once again, her thoughts were back to her lost child. She saw and knew a lot of women with her same age with two or three children.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the door. A the doorstep there was Richard. He had swollen eyes and a bit red. He was pale and his movements stiff as he approached Anne.

“Richard…?” She tried to say, wiping her tears and try to make a normal voice. She didn’t wanted to let him know she was crying. But as he was coming closer, she thought he might have cried too.

“What happened?” She asked, worried. Something happened to Ned maybe and she could not bear the thought of it.

She held out her hands to his face but he stopped her, holding them in his.

“You tell me what happened” He said, he had a broken voice, he clearly knew.

“Richard, I…”

“Why you didn’t tell me you had a miscarriage Anne?!” He asked, holding her face in his hands after letting down hers.

“I… I wanted to, but the time was never right and you had other important things to care about. Who told you?” She then asked. The only people that knew about that were Isabel, Cecily and her mother.

“Your mother. I know she would have tell you about the clause concerning the divorce and she told me she did so we discussed and she then told me about the baby, it was a boy, right?”

Anne nodded and Richard hugged her tightly. After crying again, hiding her face in his doublet, Richard helped her to lay down on the bed while holding her in his arms.

“Why were you crying?” he asked.

“For the baby and… and because I feel alone.”

Richard looked at her, confused. “You have Ned, dear, and you have me, how can you still feel alone?”

Anne smiled a little and snuggled with the head on his chest, she couldn’t look at him while saying what she had to say.

“I thought that you didn’t loved me anymore, that you grew tired of me and then my mother spoke to me about the possibility that you could divorce from me.”

Richard couldn’t hear an another word. He took her face and looked in her eyes. They were like the ocean and he drowned in them every time he stared at her.

“My love, you shouldn’t be worry with such thoughts. It hurts me to know you doubt of my love for you.”

“Have you ever repented about the word you gave me? To not share bed with other women except for me?” She wanted to know, she hated that feeling of fearing something and not knowing.

“Never. I want to share my bed just with you, Anne, no others will warm it like you do. I feel like I’m at home when I’m with you and you should never worry about it.”

Anne smiled and Richard smiled back. Their faces came closer to the other’s and they kissed. In that kiss there were a lot of emotions: love, of course, but also grief for their baby and passion that grew within every second.

Richard withdrew his face with a gasping breath, he needed to say something else before they lose their minds in their kisses.

“Anne, I won’t ever make you feel alone, I promise you.” Anne knew he was sincere, he always maintained his promises, since they were children.

He then started to undress her, he wanted to make love with her and Anne needed it. She needed to feel him.   

…

“Daddy, I wanna be a knight!” Exclaimed Edward while playing with Richard and Anne was beside the bed, sewing a new shirt for her husband. There were rare occasions of the three of them together because Richard was often in London or in York to advice his king or to accomplish his job as Lord of the North.

Richard smiled at his son’s affirmation, his vivacity made him think that he wasn’t the same child that was born too early and that his health was frail.  

“Oh, but you already are, Sir Edward of Middleham, you are the knight I chose for the protection of your lady mother Anne.”

Anne smiled at her son’s exclamation of surprise. She did every time her son made that sound. He was a very curious boy, he wanted to know everything and soon he would asks about the tasks of the Lord of the North and Richard would take him in York, where everyone acclaimed him. Surely she could go with them sometimes but not always as Edward needed to feel independent from his parents, especially from his mother as Richard often complained her to be too much attached to Ned.

“Really?!”

“Sure, you protect her when I’m not at home.”

“But, I thought that was uncle Francis’s job.” He wondered.

“As you well know, uncle Francis isn’t always here, he often comes with me.”

Edward nodded and smiled, “I’ll protect mother” he said then.

…

Middleham October 1476

 

“Mama, I’d like to see my grandma.” Edward said out of nowhere after playing in the gardens with her and Richard.

Anne looked at her husband. They both tried to make peace with the Countess, but she wasn’t willing to. She was friendly just with their son, especially because he was the only grandson she could see since Isabel and George never visited Middleham with little Margaret and little Teddy.

“All right, let’s change clothes, they’re all dirty now.” She said smiling and brushing with her hands his clothes. She took him by the hand and, followed by Richard, they got back to the Castle.

“Daddy, why Grandma is always so angry with you and Mama?” He asked to Richard while Anne was fixing his doublet.

“She’s just full of pride, and you know when your mother is very angry with me and she doesn’t speak to me?”

Edward nodded, “Well, that’s Neville’s pride.” He joked and Anne glared at him.

“Will my little sister have this Neville’s pride, too?” He asked. In fact, Anne discovered she was pregnant again and both her son and her husband were totally sure it would be a girl this time, Richard spent every night speaking with her belly and Anne loved those moment.

“Probably, it’s something just Neville’s girls inherit.” He continued, knowing this would gets Anne really angry with him and he was thinking already of a way to be forgiven once the pregnancy was over.

“Let’s go, Ned, your lady grandmother is waiting.” She just said, taking her son to the chambers of her mother.

The Countess was happy to see her grandson, she had to admit that he had so much of her daughter, but he reminded her mostly of Richard when he was little.

She hated to be locked in that castle that contained many memories of her life with her husband, the Earl of Warwick, and their daughters. Like Anne and Richard, they suffered from losing children not even born. She remembered of how they were happy to welcome in their life Isabel and then Anne that has always been her father’s little girl. Yes, he was disappointed he hadn’t a son but that changed when he took as his ward the young Richard, last son of the Duke of York.

They always knew that their daughter Anne and the young Duke would be married one day. For this she felt guilty because when Anne told her of the wedding, so happy to be the Duchess of Gloucester, she cursed her. She did because she felt betrayed since he did nothing to prevent the death of her husband, not even a trial or a word in his favor. She knew he was a traitor for Edward, but she wanted the chance to say goodbye to the man she had to marry when she was just ten years and that she learned to love day after day, year by year.

“Mother…” Anne entered with Ned next to her and Richard behind them.

“Countess…”

“Daughter, Richard… Is that my favourite grandson, Edward?” She greeted and then smiled to the little boy.

Ned smiled widely and ran into her arms to be hugged. Anne rested a hand on her belly. Every time she was carrying a child, she would always get emotional.

“Is all right, love?” Richard asked worried seeing her crying.

“Yeah, is just…” She tried to explain but Richard understood immediately.

“Countess, Ned is staying with you, I’ll take my wife to rest.” He said coolly to the woman who was already playing with his son.

“Of course, just…” She got up and took a letter from the drawer, handing it to Anne.

“What Is it?” She asked, confused.

Anne de Beauchamp took a deep breath and smiled a bit, “It’s from your father, when he sent me his last letter before Barnet, he sent a letter for you too, but I was so angry with you that I thought you didn’t deserved it. But I’m sure he would be angry with me if I don’t, so here you are.”

Anne didn’t read the letter immediately but she already felt tears to form in her eyes.

When they were in their chambers, Anne started to read the letter.

“Do you want to stay on your own? I can go to see if…” Richard got up from the bed, but Anne stopped him by the arm.

“No, please, stay with me.” She said softly and Richard sat down again, holding her hand tightly.

<< _Dear Anne,_

_I hope that your mother will be able to give you this letter. If I’m dead and she’s pushing you away, try to understand her and be stronger like I know you are._

_Is hard to say everything I need to say in this letter, and you know I’m not a man of many words, so I will try to be brief as possible._

_I’m sorry. I’m sorry you had to marry prince Edouard. I know why they define him a monster. I do not repent for what I’ve done to turn down Edward’s reign, but I do repent for what you probably have to face._

_Be brave and remember who you are, a Neville, the Kingmaker’s daughter._

_And I know about your feelings for Richard, I would have blessed your union, I’ve always cared for Richard as he was my own son and I know it hurt him to let you go when Edward refused to give your hand in marriage to him._

_If Edouard and Margaret of Anjou will lose, you have to search for his protection, I’m sure he will protect you and love you._

_I wanted to be a granddad, say to your sister that I’m sorry._

_If this is my last letter to you, just know that I cared for you and your sister._

_Your lord father,_

_Richard Neville, The Kingmaker._ _> >_

Anne cried at last and Richard held her in his arms. He was moved by the letter too, and he wanted to him to know he was like a father for him. At least, he got to see Richard Neville before he died. He wanted to tell this and that he would have protected Anne with his life.

“He was headstrong man, even if he thought he was going to die, he didn’t repented.”

“That’s what I loved of my father. He had his ideas and no one could change them.”

“Yes, that’s a great quality, and he was a honorable man.”

“He died as a Lancastrian, thought…” She said thinking of the red rose they pinned to his name and grave.

“I know…” he said, sighing, and then took the letter from her hands, “You need to rest now, my love, too much grief will hurt the baby.”

She nodded, knowing he was right and lay down to sleep. Richard stayed beside her and caress her hair. He then noticed a tear on her eye. He wondered what was she dreaming, but after reading that letter, he guessed she saw her father, maybe a memory of her past.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Here we are with chapter 8, are you enjoy the fic by far? I hope yes.  
> This chapter is a bit longer than the others.  
> We don't know if Anne suffered from miscarriages, but i think she could have so in this chapter you have this and i collocated it while Richard was in France because when he return to London there's this scene of Anne looking down and i thought she might have looked at her belly after looking at Elizabeth's children. So, inspiration.  
> And i always thought that Warwick was affectionate to his daughter Anne a little more than Isabel (i like Isabel and i think he cared for her too, but you know, Anne was his favourite) so i added that part of the letter, i hope you appreaciate it. ^^  
> And i also made Anne pregnant again, she's nearly over her pregnancy.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 

Middleham – October 1476

 

Anne was in confinement, she was near to give birth to her child. Richard was always with her during the day and he brought Ned too to keep her company.

“Mama, I want to see my little sister!” Exclaimed little Ned, waving his hands.

“Soon, Ned, very soon.” She promised, smiling to her son.

Richard got up from the bed. He enjoyed those moments, but Anne needed to rest and he had some work to do.

“C’mon Ned, your mother and your sister need to rest now and you can go with Francis in the stable so he can show you the horses.”

“Horses!” He exclaimed again, he loved to see the horses.

“Good, now give a kiss to your mother.” He said and Ned gave her a kiss on the cheek and then caressed her belly saying to his sister that he had to go but that soon they would meet.

Anne smiled until her husband and son were out of the confinement chamber. Then she looked down on her belly and rested her hand where she felt her baby kicking. She was worried that something could go wrong, but this time she almost finished her pregnancy, so she wasn’t fearing for a miscarriage. But Ned would be very sad if something was to happen to his little sister. She smiled at the thought that both her boys were certain that the baby was a girl, maybe even she was hoping to have a daughter. She imagined to comb her hair or to buy her the most fine dresses.

She wasn’t never alone, if Richard or Ned weren’t there, there would be a lady or a maid with her. But her days were boring. She read some books, but being in confinement was her nightmare. At least when she was in the early months she could play with Ned in the gardens or she could sleep with Richard in their bed.

In the evenings, Ned would keep her company until the time to go to bed, then Joan would take him away and Richard would hold her waiting for her to fall asleep.

“I’m sad that Isabel isn’t here with me for my confinement and I would like to see my nephew Teddy and little Margaret.” She said one night while resting between the arms of Richard.

“I know, but she has given birth to her son, Richard, and George wrote that she’s still weak after giving birth.” He said, sighing. Surely that was one of the reasons, but George was cutting all the bridges with him and Anne. He didn’t liked how his brother was behaving at court and hurting Anne meant hurting him, he couldn’t forgive George for this.

“Me and our son are saying that this child will be a girl, but how we’re gonna name her?” He asked then, to distract her from the thoughts toward Isabel.

“Mmmm, I’m not sure I want to name her Elizabeth…” Anne hated Elizabeth. Actually she didn’t know why she hated her, she never spoke to her in a mean way, she never threat her, but when she became Queen, she was just nine years and, even if she found her beautiful and a gracious Queen, her father told her that she was their enemy, she was a Lancaster after all, she didn’t deserved the York crown.

“No, and we don’t have to. What about Anne? Like her mother she will be beautiful and…”

“full of Neville pride?” She arched her eyebrow smiling at him.

He laughed, “full of Neville pride, yes.”

Anne thought a bit about her husband name suggestions, “What about Cecily? Your mother will be happy to be honored, again…” She smiled. She referred to the third daughter of King Edward, Cecily of York.

“Oh yes, an another Cecily Neville, according to her 'the best blood in England'.”

“Oh… so you chose quite well your wife, Duke of Gloucester.”

“I must agree with you and my lady mother, I couldn’t make a better choice.”

He took her head in his hands and kissed her passionately.

Anne moaned suddenly and Richard broke the kiss.

“I’m sorry, it was too much?”

“No, Richard… I think…”

Anne didn’t finished the phrase that Richard noticed the wet sheets under her. “I’m going to call the midwife!”

…

Anne already been through childbirth before so she knew what she would going through, but this time seemed more difficult.

“The baby is in the wrong position, we have to turn the baby.”

“Richard! I need Richard!” She screamed in tears, she didn’t wanted to lose this baby too and this happened with her sister during the storm. The Midwife agreed to let come in the Duke, it was an exception because the Duchess could have died during this delivery.

Richard ran to his wife and held her hand, “My love, I’m here.” He kissed it and kissed also her hair.

“Richard, she will not die!” She was crying now and Richard tried to calm her down. He helped her to follow the instructions of the midwife and after what it seemed an eternity, they heard a cry and it wasn’t Anne.

“It is a girl! And she’s loud!” The midwife laughed and they start to wash her.

“Have you heard Anne? Our daughter” Richard looked toward Anne and she was unconscious.

“Anne… Anne!”

“Your Grace you need to get out, now!” Said the midwife

“No, I won’t abandon my wife!”

“Please your Grace, the Duchess might die!”

Richard looked at Anne and he kissed her hand again, “I will fetch a physician.” He then said before going out to meet Francis.

“Dickon! How’s Anne?” He asked and Richard started to sob but then he straighten up

“I will call the physician, she’s unconscious now, but the baby… she’s a girl.” He tried to smile.

“I will congratulate to both of you, Dickon.” He said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Do you want to see Ned?”

Richard shook his head and walked off.

…

Richard sent for the physician, whom he knew very well since he served him and his family for years. Then he went at the chapel to pray for Anne. He couldn’t lose her. Not now. He needed her, she was the only one to see him angry or sad enough to cry. She knew every weakness of him and she was his strength.

“Dickon!”

Francis entered the chapel and Richard turned around, worried that he came with bad news.

“She’s awake! Anne is awake!” He exclaimed, happy to bring great news to his friend.

Richard smiled and ran immediately to the birth chamber. She was radious, like she never was in between life and death. She was also holding their daughter.

“Anne”

She turned her head and smiled. “Richard! Did you see? You and Ned were right, she’s a beautiful girl”

Richard came closer and looked down at his daughter. She was indeed beautiful, more than Edward’s and George’s daughters. He never saw his daughter Kathryn when she was a newborn so he couldn’t compared them. 

“So, how do we call her? Cecily?” Anne asked and Richard nodded. One day she will be a great Duchess of the North. Cecily of Middleham.

“Should we bring Ned to meet his baby sister?” Richard proposed and Anne smiled. Their son was so excited to see her.

“Of course we should, go bring him here.”

Ned was amazed by the little girl in his mother’s arms.

“She’s so tiny! How will I play with her?” He asked and both Anne and Richard smiled.

“She will grow and then you will play with her.” Richard said. He had Ned on his lap and he wanted to hold his sister so Richard helped him.

“Hello, I’m Edward, but you can call me Ned”

Anne smiled at his son that thought that his little sister could already speak with him. They explained that he was like her when he was little and that it needed time for her to learn to talk, to walk and that she would soon have a lot of hair.

“Mama, how babies are made?” He then asked out of the blue.

Richard paralyzed and Anne laughed softly at his reaction. He never thought that he needed to do that “talk” with Ned so soon.

“They are made from love, when your mother and I feel so much love we make a baby.” He tried to explain but both his son and his wife looked at him with confusion.

“I’ll explain you when you’re older.”

“How much older?”

“When you’re thirteen”

Anne was moved by their relationship. She always loved to see them together, her boys.

“We’d like to rest now.” She said and Richard took Ned to the nursery and came back to her.

“You want me to stay with you?” He asked, caressing the puffy cheeks of his daughter.

“Yes, we’d love to.” She smiled and gave one of her breasts to Cecily.

“You know, many would not agree with this decision of feeding her…”

“And you?”

“I don’t really mind, is quite sightly to see you giving food to them.” He smiled a little seeing his daughter enjoying the food her mother was providing her.

“Beware, Richard, we have to wait until my confinement is over to reprise your marital rights on me.”

He laughed and kissed her forehead.

“Cannot wait for it.”

…

Middleham – November 1476

 

Little Cecily was already a month old and she was her daddy’s little girl as Anne was with her father.

“Ned, come, your grandma Cecily has arrived.”

“Yes! Grandma!”

Cecily Neville was happy to see her nephew and her little new niece that was named after her.

“Oh, my little boy!”

She hugged him and Richard approached her with little Cecily in his arms. She was awake and curious about the old woman that was smiling at her.

“She’s so attached to me.” Richard was happy to have this bond with Cecily, since he couldn’t have it with Kathryn.

“Also Margaret was with your father, and little Anne was with Richard.”She said referring to Anne who put on a grimace that made Richard smile. It seemed that in her eyes Anne was still a nine years girl.

“Give Cecily to me, Richard, she needs to eat.” Anne told him, and Richard gave her to his wife, kissing her hair.

“You aren't feeding her, are you not?” Asked Cecily

“Yes I am, less now since she has a nursemaid but I want her to be fed by me too.” She answered, disappearing inside the castle.

Cecily took Ned by the hand and sighted.

“Your wife needs a lesson, she was ungracious to me, not like a Lady should behave. And you should forbid her to feed your daughter.”

Richard rolled his eyes, “Lady Mother, my wife is perfect as she is. You can’t treat her like a child, she’s twenty and if she desire to feed her children, she will.”

Cecily wasn’t surprised of his behavior, he was a loyal son, brother and husband, but he always been different from his brothers. Edward would forbid it to his wife and she would obey since it was the protocol and George would get angry if Isabel would do something like this. Richard would not.

“Very well, but remember who’s the husband in this marriage.”

Richard went to their chambers and found Anne with little Cecily eating. She was singing to her and Richard loved when she did because she had an angelic voice. 

“What have your mother said about me?” She asked when he came closer and make notice her of his presence.

“You’re so ungracious, my love.” He said in a low voice and kissing her hair.

“I will be every time she insults me, she called me a child! Again, Richard!” She lamented while taking away her nipple from her daughter and passing her to Richard that started to pat on her back delicately.

“I know you will, but is a battle lost at the beginning, Anne, you know that my mother is invincible.”

“I’m the Kingmaker’s daughter and I will defeat her!”

Anne got up and went to unbraid her hair, to brush it.

“These Neville women… Will you be the same, Cecily?” He asked to his daughter that laughed.

“I can hear you Richard, I’m here.”

Richard laughed and kiss his daughter’s head.

...

 

Anne woke up, she was between the arms of Richard that was still sleeping soundly.

She managed to get off the bed, put the nightgown on and the dressing gown. Joan had the job to wake up Ned while she had to wake Cecily, so she went to the nursery, a different one from Ned because she and Richard were worried that she could wake Ned during the night and it was closer to their chamber in case she cried.

“Cecily… It’s time to wake up, love.” She smiled and called her softly. When she was close to the cradle she became frighten.

Cecily was pale, very pale and her lips weren’t rosy. She took her in her arms and screamed.

Richard came immediately and found her on the floor with their daughter in her arms. He tried to take Cecily from her hands but she fought to not to.

“Anne… Anne she’s gone.” He said, not believing what he was saying. She was in health last night, how could it happened?

“No! No, she’s my daughter, she’s my baby girl. My Cecily…” She cried desperately.

One of the maids arrived and brought a hand on her mouth for the scene she had  in front of her.

“Hurry, bring here Sir Lovell!” He commanded and the maid went to call Francis Lovell, who was staying at Middleham.

“Anne… Anne, please, leave her to me.” He pleaded her trying to look in her eyes.

She shook her head, she didn’t wanted to leave her. When Francis arrived, he tried to speak with her too.

“Anne, go with Francis, I’ll take care of Cecily, I promise.” Richard told her, caressing her cheek and she handed her to him and let Francis to help her to get up and walked out the room.

Richard looked down at his daughter. She was born just a month ago and he already had to say to her goodbye. He knows that can happen to children, especially when they are so little, but he never thought it could happen to one of his children.

“Cecily… my sweet Cecily…”

He took her away, they needed to bury her and he didn’t wanted to wait too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was a hard chapter to write because is happy and sad at the end. I wanted to change this until the last word but i want to respect the story as it went, since we do not know about Anne's possible pregnancy or miscarriages i thought to let her to have a daughter that, as you probably read, died.  
> The next chapter will also be sad because is the year of Isabel's death. I feel like i'm a bit mean to Anne but i don't want to be, i swear u.u  
> Let me know what you think and thanks for the likes *-*


	10. Chapter 10

Middleham – November 1476

 

The funeral for little Cecily was private, there were Richard and Anne, little Ned that was next to Joan and was holding her hand, Francis, Cecily and the Countess of Warwick. Neither Edward or George were there. The King wanted to attend but his brother asked him to not. Probably seeing him and his family with his daughters would have hurt Anne and him too, it was too early.

The coffin was small, incredibly small and Anne went to lay a little white rose not even blossomed to symbolize that little Cecily died prematurely. Then she came back to Richard’s arms ready to enclose her between them.

When they were back in their chambers, after saying goodnight to their son who had so many questions on what happened to his sister and why, and that Richard told him they were not ready to speak about it and neither he should, Richard dismissed Anne’s ladies and helped her to undress.

Once she was in her nightgown, she climbed up on the bed and pull the covers on her.

“Richard… why can’t I give you children?” She asked, looking down and then searching for him, whom was undressing too and he climbed up sitting next to her.

He took her hands and caressed them, “You did, we have Ned.” He stated softly.

“Other children, Richard… I had a miscarriage and now my Cecily, my first daughter…”

Richard didn’t know what to say. He wanted to help her. The death of their daughter afflicted them both, but Anne gave life to her, he knew it was harder for her.

“Our Cecily, she was loved and she is in Heaven now, with your father, my father, Edmund… she is with our family taking care of her for us.” He told her, he was certain of that and the though made him feel serene, he hoped that this fact would made Anne to feel likewise.

“I know…” She started to sob and Richard held her close for her to cry, to let all go on his shirt. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” She said repeatedly and Richard hushed her softly.

When she fell asleep, Richard drag her down with him, to sleep with her in his arms. She was so unrecognizable, she wasn’t the Anne he knew and he had hoped and prayed to never see her like that. He wondered if she would ever be the same as before or if he had to search for her in his memories.

…

Richard tried to distract himself with his duty towards the North and going to court more often to see his brothers.

Anne was always in their chamber. She rarely went out to spend her time with her son or with her ladies. She wasn’t eating regularly and she didn’t share the bed with her husband, not in that way.

Her mother was worried for her, she knew what meant to lose a child before or after the birth. She once had a boy that lived for three months. She grieved, but she knew which was her duty, she had to give her husband sons and she ended up having Isabel and Anne.

“Anne, you should eat, you’re weakening.” She said, holding her nephew that was on her lap.

“Mama, grandmother is right.” He said, agreeing and the Countess smiled tenderly.

Anne was impassive at their words. She couldn’t believe that she failed once again. No matter what Richard was saying to her, it was her fault and he wanted more children.

“I know you don’t listen to me or to your husband… but is your son that is saying you should.”

Ned got off his grandmother’s lap and went to his mother, taking her hands and looking in her eyes.

“You’re so much like your father.” She said, almost crying but hugging him.

“The Duke of Gloucester!” It was announced and Ned jumped around, happy that his father was back home.

“Anne, I’ll help you dress up and you’re going to welcome home your husband as a good wife should.” Her mother said. It wasn’t a suggestion, she ordered it and Anne hadn’t the strength to reply. She dressed up and went outside to welcome Richard.

“Anne!” He exclaimed, surprised to see her dressed up or outside of the chambers.

He dismounted from his horse and approached her, kissing her lips in a passionate way. Anne didn’t kissed back and Richard felt it, looking down worried and lost, how could he make his wife to feel better? 

“Father!” He heard Ned screaming and running towards him.

“Ned! My boy, how are you?” He asked him, hugging his son and kissing his cheeks.

“I’m fine, daddy, but mama is not feeling well…” He whispered, clearly worried for his mother. Richard smiled and told him not to worry.

The Countess took Ned by the hand and gestured at Richard to take Anne in their chambers. He and his mother-in-law were in a better relationship now, especially when was concerned Anne’s health.

After leaving the horse at the young stableman, he led his wife into their castle and into their chambers.

“How are you Anne?” He asked, stroking her cheeks.

“I guess I need to forget I lost my Cecily.” She said, emotionless.

“Not forget, you just need to go on... we are young and we’ll have other children, God’s willing…” He cupped her face and look into her eyes that were wet and their color was highlighted by tears.

Anne tried to smile, her first smile since the funeral of Cecily. Richard saw, in that smile, a glimpse of hope to have his Anne back with him.

“I need my wife, my Anne” He said then, trying to kiss her again and this time she kissed back. Richard took this as a consent to make love after two week of distance between them.

He started to undress her, unlacing the dress. Anne didn’t try to push him away. She missed his gentle touch on her skin but she didn't forget how it felt. His hands weren't soft as her ladies when they help washing her or dressing up, he was a man and a soldier, he had rough hands, but his touch was confident and expert and not because he had mistresses before her, he once explained her that every woman has a different sensitiveness at the touch and he knew perfectly how to drive her crazy with the perfect spots.

They kept on kissing slowly and when Anne was in her nightgown, he lifted her up placing her legs on his waist, and laid her down on their bed. His hands roamed on her body, he missed not one curve of his wife with his fingers and lips.

He kissed her on her forehead, her cheeks, her nose and then her lips while touching her tight and Anne trembled.

“Anne… what is it, my love?” He asked, worried. She never trembled with him, it happened just once when she remembered of Lancaster.

“Is it him again?” He asked, thinking that couldn’t be, it was long ago.

“No, it is not him. Is just I missed you. Richard…?” She stopped for a second to ask him something it was bothering her thoughts.

“Yes?”

“Have you been with another women?” She asked. They didn’t shared the bed, except for sleeping, since the death of their daughter and Richard was always in London or York.

Richard sighed and brush her hair away from her face, “No, I haven’t, but I was tempted, yes.”

Anne lowered her head. It was all her fault if her faithful husband felt desire for an another woman.

“Anne, I haven’t slept with others, my loyalty is to you, completely.” He assured her and moved her face with his fingers to make her to look in his eyes.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying sorry…” He said before kissing her again passionately and making love to her. He hated to see and feel that her body lost weight.

“You need to eat, Anne…” he observed, touching her arm.

“I wasn’t expecting this affirmation during our lovemaking.” She joked and Richard smiled a bit. “But you’re right and even Ned told me. I will eat tonight.” She caressed his hair, running her fingers through his curls.

“Good” He said, kissing her arm.

They stayed in bed for all the afternoon and then Richard asked his dinner to be brought in their chamber so his Duchess could eat in private.

“Thank you, Richard.” She said, before eating. He was sitting next to her and brought her hand to his mouth.

“Anything for my little Annie” He said, knowing this would make her angry. Indeed she glanced at him with annoyance.

…

Middleham – December 1476

 

 

Ned’s birthday was close and they organized a little celebration for their son that was turning four years.

Anne learned that her sister Isabel was ill and she got worried. Richard stood by her, George was devastated by her illness and he couldn’t speak with him of the possibility to let Anne to see her, not that he was gladly inclined to let her go if George would gave his consent. They didn't know what Isabel had and he couldn't risks his wife good health, probably it was an egoistic thought but he couldn't live without her.  

“Mama, is aunt Izzy coming for my birthday?” Ned asked to his mother. He saw his aunt, uncle and cousins just a couple of times but he thought his aunt was beautiful and kind. 

“Aunt Izzy is ill, Ned” she answered, caressing his forehead and his hair.

“Oh… and you are all right?” He asked, he didn’t wanted his mother to be like when his sister died.

“No, because she’s my only sister, but I’ll try to be for you and your father.” She smiled and kissed his hair.

She kept herself busy with the preparations for his birthday. Richard was at Middleham but busy with his duties as Lord of the North so they only see each other during the meals and when it was time to go to bed, sometimes Anne would go in his chambers to find him still working and would keep him company.

“You should rest, tomorrow is our son’s birthday.” She said, resting her hands on his shoulders and kissing him on his hair.

“I know, but I need to finish to read these…” He sighed, clearly tired and Anne smiled, moving around his chair and sitting on his lap.

“Anne… you can’t do this everytime you want me to go to bed.” He sighed again but smiling this time, knowing what his wife had in mind. 

“Yes, I can, I’m your wife and is my duty to take you to bed.” She brought her hands on the back of his neck and caressed it.

“Is it?” He asked, arching his eyebrow.

“Yes” She affirmed. 

“well then, I promise that I’ll read just this one and I will come to bed to you.” He kissed her hands and smiled. Anne resigned smiling back and went back to the bedchamber waiting for him.

Richard was happy to see his wife happy again. The death of Cecily seemed to have shattered her and probably it had, but she was his Anne once again, even if a new tragedy was inevitable since Isabel, was seriously ill. According to George she had no chance to recover from it and Anne knew that. She was acting when she would put a smile on her face, but he didn’t mind at all if she was, he knows she’s strong and that she doesn’t want to make suffer him and Ned again. And, if she needed to cry and drop the mask, he was there.

“Finally” she welcomed him in their chamber, kneeling on the bed, with just her nightgown.

“Anne…” He said, approaching the bed and wrapping his arms around her body. She quickly cupped his face, stroking his cheek.

“Shush, Richard please, I do not need sad thoughts right now” She said softly and he smiled a little.

“And what, my Duchess needs now? If it is in my power I would like to content her.” He said, taking her hands away from his face gently. Anne let herself falling back on their bed and sat up.

“I do think you can, my Duke. It is a need only my husband can fulfill.” She waited for him to kiss her.

Richard kissed her and started to lower the sleeves of her nightgown, kissing every bit of flesh exposed by his fingers.

Anne watched him while he was undressing her, caressing every curve he’d find on her body. Her breathing became heavier as he took one of her breasts in his mouth and his finger was inside her. She let her head fall behind for he always knew how to touch her.

She’d never thought that making love could be so pleasurable for her and after years of marriage. Richard was always so gentle with her, almost as he thought he could hurt her if he’d lose his control. He also spent so much time focusing on her pleasure as it was the most important thing.

“Richard…” she moaned, fingers in his hair.

Richard raised his head, he smiled and realized what she needed so he lay on his back and let Anne to sit on his groin. They start to move together slow at first, but soon they sped up and entwined their fingers. They reached the climax almost together.

When their breathing was at a normal speed again, Anne lay next to him, resting her hand on his chest.

They were ready to fall asleep,  but someone knocked on the door.

“Who could be at this hour of the night?” grunted Richard, putting on his shirt and handing Anne her nightgown. Then he went to the door, opening it.

“My Lord, your son can’t sleep and he asked me to take him here.” Said Joan, Ned’s nurse.

Richard smiled but remained serious while speaking, “young man, you will be four tomorrow, you shouldn’t run to the bed of your parents.” He said, looking directly at his son.

He then took his hand, leading him into the chamber, dismissing Joan.

“My little boy, what happened?” Asked Anne, while Richard helped him climbing up the bed.

“Bad dream… Can I sleep with you?”

“Of course you can, come.” She made room for her son to lie in her arms. Ned was in-between his parents and he slept well for the rest of the night.

…

The morning after, Richard woke up first and his smile sweetened at the vision of his wife and his son still embraced and sleeping soundly. It was a pity to wake them up. He decided to let them sleep a bit more and he dressed up.

He could use that time to finish his business interrupted by Anne the night before.

One of the letters he had in his hands was from Fotheringhay Castle, from Kate Haute, his former mistress. She was saying that she was ill and little Kathryn needed somewhere to stay. His daughter was six years and her step father didn’t cared about her.

Richard took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He only saw his daughter when she was very little and now he had this life with Anne and Edward, how could she react at the possibility of taking Kathryn with them at Middleham Castle?

He closed the letter and went on with the others. One of them was from the King, inviting them for Christmas. He didn’t know what would Anne think about this, surely Ned would have been happy to see his cousins but, for his poor health, he couldn’t travel a lot.

“I start to think that you love your work more than spending time with us” He heard Anne’s voice behind him and he smiled.

“You know that is not true, Anne, I just thought you two were sleeping so well and I didn’t wanted to wake you up immediately.”

They kissed and Anne sitted on his lap. “So, what’s new?”

“I need to go to supervise some business in York and my brother invited us to spend Christmas at court.”

Anne sighed, she didn’t liked that idea, she couldn’t even see Izzy because she was ill and the Queen wasn’t much of a company, and she would have to stay close to her mother-in-law all the time.

“I know what you’re thinking, that’s why I told you before accepting or not.” He said, loving that annoyed expression on her face. That particular expression reminded him of her when she was little.

“That was kind of you, but he’s the king, we cannot reject his invitation, and the Queen would be offended by it. But Ned will not come, he is feeling better this last period, but I don’t want him to fall ill during the trip.”

Richard nodded and kissed her temple.

“Speaking of our son, where is he?” He asked, thinking she would have brought him along with her.

Anne smiled amused, “Still in our bedchamber, he’s angry because you didn’t say happy birthday to him when he woke up”

“I see, and you think is worse our son being offended or the Queen?” He asked, caressing gently her back.

“Well our son is not a witch, but I think you would mind if he’s not speaking with you all day” She answered and Richard gave her a reproachful look. He didn’t mind if Anne called the Queen a witch, but she had to control her mouth when they were not alone.

“I know, I know…” She raised on her feet and held out her hand to him.

“C’mon, let’s go to our son.” Richard grab her hand and they went to their bed chamber.

During the day they had a picnic, just the three of them. Richard played with his son and Anne watched them. Ned kept asking about his gifts and Richard was thrilled to give to his son his first horse. Of course he could not ride a horse already, so he managed to get also a pony. He didn’t consulted with Anne for this gift but they prepared one together.

In the evening there was a party. Every family of the North was there and everyone made a gift for the little Lord. Edward felt like a prince because he was at the center of attention.

“Are you having fun, my precious darling?” Asked Anne,  fixing his dark hair.

“Yes, mama! I miss my cousins, though.” He answered, looking around him.

“I know, but you’ll see Maggie and Teddy very soon, I’m sure of it.” She reassured him, kissing his brow.

“And… me and your father have a surprise for you” she added, walking back just to return with Richard and a servant holding a box. The man left it on the floor delicately. Edward opened it and a puppy dog was there, looking at him with his tongue out.

“Puppy!” He exclaimed happy and caressing the dog. Anne stood by Richard’s side, they were glad their son liked their gift. They thought that he wouldn’t feel so much alone now he had a friend to play with. There were children to play with in Middleham, but Edward wasn’t allowed to go out in the streets, for fear he might fall ill.

“Have you thought of a name, son?” Asked Richard, curious to know how they were going to call the pet.

“I was thinking… Percival? As one of the knights of Camelot” He smiled while pet his dog.

“That is a perfect name, Ned” agreed Anne, joining her son, caressing the puppy.

After the party they went to sleep and, even if Richard didn’t agreed on letting Percival sleeping with Edward, he soon changed his mind, influenced by Anne’s words and beauty. She knew how to prevail her husband, without forgetting her position as a wife, but their marriage was quite different from others because Richard never submitted her, he always listened to her and never hit her, while she was aware that a man could hit a woman if she was disrespectful to him.

They wished them both goodnight and went to their chambers.

…

The morning after, Anne woke up to find herself alone and thought that Richard might have not slept or woke up early and didn’t want to wake her up too. It happened before, that’s why she was serene and got up, letting her ladies coming in and helping her to get dressed.

“The Duke and little Lord are in the stables, my lady.” One of the women said, and Anne thanked for the information. She would join them after taking breakfast and so she did.

She went to the stables to see Edward on a horse. Her eyes were wide opened at the view and pictured immediately every single tragedy could happen to her son.

“Edward, get off immediately!” She screamed and  Richard and Edward, who were smiling, turned to her.

“Anne, calm down” Richard tried to say.

“No, I won’t! Edward, come with me.” She said, taking her son in her arms and he started to cry.

“Anne!” Richard tried again but she would not listen while leaving her son to his nurse. Edward kept on crying and looked back often.

Anne turned towards her husband, her face and chest were red and her breathing wasn’t regular as he almost noticed her breast coming out of her dress.

“Richard, for the love of God, what was doing our son on that horse?!” She yelled at him. Richard knew she would react this way, but never imagined that could make her son crying. She was the one who tend to spoil Edward solely.

“This horse is his gift by me, and I kno-“

“Your what?! I beg your pardon, what do you mean by "his gift by me”?” She asked pretending she heard wrong.

“He always wanted a horse, so I got one for him, but of course he’s too little to ride it so I thought to take also a pony….”

“At least you are not out of your mind thinking he could” She folded her arms on her chest.

Richard approached her and try to touch her arms but she retired from his hands.

“Anne, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I knew how you would react.” He explained and finally he could lay his hands on her arms, caressing them. “But I didn’t expected you making cry our son…” he added, disappointment in his voice.

“I know… I just… I had this pictures in my head with him falling or with the horse getting mad and making him falling and step on him…” She started to say but her voice faded with tears.

Richard hated to see her cry, it was one of his weakness, maybe one of the greatest, but he needed to stay strong, it wasn’t the moment to comfort her because she needed to comfort her son first.

“Now you go to apologize to our son and then we will speak.” He said, without looking in her eyes or he knew he would fail and hug her. Anne nodded and went inside the castle.

She’d found her son in his chambers, still crying on his bed.

“Ned…” She said, smiling a bit.

“Away mama!” He yelled, clearly he was angry and he had the right to be, but she went closer to his bed anyway and sat next to him. Percival was there and he was whimpering to his master crying.

She started to caress her son’s hair and sang a lullaby she used to sing to him and her daughter. He slowly calmed down and after she finished, he sat up.

“Mama, why don’t you want me to have that horse? Is a gift from Daddy.” He asked, rubbing his eyes.

“Because I got scared, Ned. You are still little to ride a horse alone and I got scared you could fall off.” She explained, passing a finger under his eyes to dry the tears.

“I wasn’t in danger, Daddy was holding me up.” He stated and Anne smiled slightly.

“I know that, but I will always worry about you, Ned.” She said and Ned threw himself into her arms.

She stroked his hair and kissed him on the top of his head.

“Your father told me he got you a pony too, and you can ride it, but there must be your father or uncle Francis with you, we agree?”

He nodded without lifting his head up, but staying on his mother’s lap and hugging her. Anne looked up and saw Richard smiling at her and she smiled back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for posting this late but i wanted to write a little more. In the previous chapter i said there would be Isabel's death in this but in the end i thought it was too much so it will be the next one.  
> Also i will bring the topic "kathryn" since in this Richard read the letter about her and the possibility of living with them in Middleham.  
> Hope you like it ^^


	11. Chapter 11

Middleham – January 1476

“Mama, why Maggie and Teddy can’t come to live here with us?” Wondered Ned, while on the bed, and Anne had just finished to tell him a bedtime story.

She ran her fingers in his hair and smiled, “Would you like that?” She asked softly.

“Yes, very much.” He stated, getting excited at the thought, “I could play with them everyday and with Percival, they like dogs, do they?” He asked then, curious. He never saw his cousins and he didn't know anything about them and what they like. 

“Sure, they do. I’ll see what can I do, but now go to sleep, my little darling.” She told him, kissing his forehead and leaving the nursery.

She went directly to her chambers, dismissed her ladies, and went to the dressing table looking at her reflection. She then closed her eyes and her mind wandered to her sister, her dear Isabel, too young indeed to die. Anne thought that Isabel would have been there enough to see her children and her little Ned growing up, and now she was alone.

She gasped, when two hands rested on her shoulders, opening her eyes. On the mirror she saw the reflection of her husband, smiling a little and she smiled back, putting a hand on one of his.

“Richard…” She started, taking a deep breath.

“They will stay with us, our nephew and niece.” He comforted, he knew she was waiting for a reply from him. She asked him, or better saying, she appealed it, but still she needed Richard’s agreement. He was at the head of the house, these matters were only to his decision. 

She smiled and hugged Richard tightly, “Thank you!” She cheered and then she kissed him on the lips.

“I had to, they are family, the children of your beloved sister, and of my brother, of course. And I heard Ned is excited at the thought of having someone to play with.” He answered, smiling at his wife, who was smiling widely.

“He will be so happy, Richard.” She confided, resting her hands on his chest.

“And you will… I just want to see you happy.” He explained, he couldn’t do much to help her. Bringing Maggie and Teddy at Middleham Castle was the only thing he could do.

…

 Anne smiled widely seeing her nephew and her niece arriving at Middleham. She held herself from running toward them, she had to behave like the Lady she was, but when they came closer, Anne kneel down and hugged them.

“I’m so glad you are both here, Maggie, Teddy.”

Teddy didn’t answered and Maggie smiled and thanked her aunt and her uncle.

The next days were a bit tough for everyone. Richard tried to speak with George, who was clearly angry. He blamed them of kidnapping his children and conspiring with the witch Elizabeth Woodville.

“Even you, Richard! Even you are by that witch’s side!” He screamed in their house and Anne was there too with the children.

“I’m not by anyone’s side, George! I’m your brother and those are my nephew and niece. Me and Anne were worried about them, can you understand this?” He asked, looking directly in his brother’s eyes and grabbing his arms.

“Why? They are not in danger, they have me!” He claimed and Anne laughed. “What Anne, do you think I would not take care of my own children?”

“I think that Isabel would want me to look after them. You are out of your mind, George and they are children, they need good care and not a father who lost his head!” She accused and George stayed in silence. He got close to her really fast and held up his hand, it was directed to her face.

“George, don’t you dare!” Yelled Richard, approaching both and Anne stood still, she froze.

“Really George? Would you really hit me in front of them? Now I can see what kind of father you can be.” She whispered and Richard looked at her, gesturing to stop and she did, taking the children away.

Anne could see terror in Maggie’s eyes, while the boys seemed to start to cry but she calmed them, saying they had nothing to worry about.

At the end of the day, George went back to Warwick castle, after saying goodbye to his children. Anne felt moved by that scene of him whispering everything was going to be all right, but she didn't changed her mind on him. 

Anne put the three of them in the nursery, told them a story and wished them goodnight.

She went back to her chamber and Richard was there, waiting for her.

“The children were so tired, we reached only half of the stor-“ She started to say but Richard interrupted her.

“How could you say that to my brother?” He asked, coolly.

“What do you mean?” She questioned, a little confused.

Richard went closer to her and look into her eyes, Anne could see anger and disappointment.

“George would be a good father for those kids, and you doubted it.” He answered.

“You can’t be serious… have you seen him?! He was ready to hit me in front of the kids! What if, in a moment of pure anger, he would it Maggie or Teddy!?” she implied with a loud voice.

“You provoked him, Anne! If I was like any other man in this earth, I would have to hit you myself for your behaviour toward a royal Duke! But I’m not like the other men, and you know that” He remarked and grabbed her arms.

“Yes… I’m sorry, probably I exaggerated, but I think if it wasn’t for George, my sister would be still here and she would watch her children growing up.” She wept and Richard pulled her into his arms, making her crying all her tears for Isabel. She didn’t thought that George killed her, she knew he cared for her in the end, but in the meantime he never showed that and Isabel was already dying for a long time.

…

Middleham – March 1478

Had been almost two years since Isabel’s death and now also George died. He had started to plot against the King, but especially against the Queen, calling her a ‘witch’. Everyone in their family thought she was, but they never spoke out their minds. Anne knew that calling the Queen so, or predicting the death of royals would mean death.

Richard tried to convince his brother the King to spare George, for he was out of his mind since his wife’s death, but Edward, probably, was just tired of forgiving him too many times. He knew he wanted him dead and he couldn’t ignore it.

Anne was now waiting in her chamber for her husband. He had sleeping problems since they got married, mostly on her being in danger while in Lancaster's hands, or about his father and brother's deaths, even if time passed, but it got worse once his brother George died. Sometimes, he confided Anne that he feared he was the next. Was it really the Queen's doing? If it was, then, had he has to be careful?

Anne raised her head at the sound of steps and the opening of the door. She stood up and let Richard approaching her. He was silent, and his movements were stiffen.

“Richard…” She tried to call him, but it was as he wasn’t listening. She thought that in the same occasion they have been the opposite. He didn’t wanted to speak or listen, while she cried out everything when Isabel died.

“It’s been almost a month, dear…”

She never understood how close him and George were, but Richard told her all his memories of when they were just to children who had to go away from England to not be killed by Lancaster.

“You’re right… But I can’t go back to London and see my brother in the eyes, not without seeing also George.” he said softly.

Anne held him tight a little more, caressing his hair and Richard tightened his grip on her waist.

“You must, Richard.” She held his head away from her and looked in his eyes, shining with unshed tears. “You must be strong and keep on being the man the King trust the most.” She encouraged him.

“Oh Anne…” He went back with the face in her chest. Then he released the embrace and straighten up.

“I will, but I swear Edward will never forget George, I know he exceeded the limit of sense, but he had our same blood.”

Anne nodded smiling, proud of her husband. She never liked George, not a bit, but if Richard cared so much for him to cry even, maybe he wasn’t that mean as she knew him.

…

“Look at me Mama!” Ned exclaimed, on his horse, the one his father gave him for his fourth birthday.

Anne was observing him, Francis helping him, staying close to the horse enough to not be hurt and Richard was next to Anne, but on his feet, while she had a chair and her ladies were laughing and chattering with the other. There were also Maggie and Teddy, but they were playing on their own.

“Oh Richard, he’s so happy!” smiled Anne, waving at her son that reprised his training with Francis.

“Yes, he is, and you were against this gift of mine, am I right?” He asked, with a mischievous grin on his face. Anne tapped on his arm jokingly.

“My Lady Anne! You shouldn’t do that!” One of her ladies intervened, Anne and Richard smiled amused by her words. She was a new maid, Lyenne, and she didn’t know that the Duchess and the Duke of Gloucester weren’t like the other nobles of England.

“Don’t you worry, Lady Lyenne, I’m used to my feisty Duchess.” He reassured her and Lyenne blushed for embarrassment since all the ladies were giggling.

Anne smiled at her, and then she had Richard lowered to the right height to whisper something in his ear, making his grin to go wide, but just for her to see.

“Your Graces!” They heard screaming and they turned their heads at the same time, their faces went pale at the sight of Francis with their boy in his arms and the horse that was running around like he was mad.

“Edward!” Anne cried while running towards Francis who was already approaching them.

Richard took his son in his arms, and commanded to Francis to tame the horse and search for the physician.

They took him in his chamber, he was breathing heavy and sweating. Anne started to pad his frown with a piece of cloth. Edward was pale and if they couldn’t see the rise of his chest, it would have seemed dead.

“Richard, where’s the physician? My son is ill” cried Anne, worried. Richard was next to her, trying to calm her down.

“Anne, is just a fever, it will pass… you know that.” He whispered. He knew how much his wife worried about his health, and he was too but he had to be strong if anything was to happen.

“What if… What if, oh no!” She was becoming hysterical. Richard turned her towards him and cupped her face.

“It will pass, but you have to be strong for him... Knowing his mother is already grieving won’t help him…Okay?”

Anne, reluctantly, nodded. Richard was right. She calmed and padded his frown a little more.

The Physician came and treated him. Both Anne and Richard prayed for their son.

“Please, I only have him, my child” She begged on her knees. Richard took her hands in his and they prayed together.

Luckily, Edward’s fever ended and he was in good health again, still a bit weak but it was normal.

“I figured out something, Richard…”

“What?” He asked, curious about her serious expression.

“Edward is our boy and there will be only him, we must keep him safe.” She said, a tear streaking her cheek.

“Anne, don’t say that” He started to say, but Anne took a deep breath and say it again, “He will, Richard, I know that my body can’t carry other babies...”

Her questions were many. Richard wanted a large family, and she couldn’t give it to him, what would have happen between them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this chapter is short, very short.   
> However i think this will be one of the last chapters :)


	12. Chapter 12

Middleham 1483

“Father look!” A ten years old Edward was practicing with the wooden sword and his parents were watching.

Richard clapped his hands, seeing his son ability with the sword. His movements weren’t perfect yet and he got distracted very easily, but he was good at it.

One of his men approached and whispered something that Anne, despite being close, could not listen and she frown. Richard looked behind him and saw Buckingham and Stanley, He gave a nod and they came closer with fast pace.

“Your Grace… The King is dead” said Buckingham panting a bit, they both must have hurried.

Richard’s eyes were wide open at the news and looked toward Anne for a minute, who was reaching for his forearm to squeeze. He, instead, grabbed her hand, turning the head to the two men.

“When?” He simply asked, with firm voice, without letting any emotion shine through.

“On the night of the 9th of April, your grace.” Stanley answered this time and Richard looked shocked this time, changing rapidly to a furious one.

“Two weeks?! My brother has been dead for two weeks and only now I am informed?!” He exclaimed, tightening his grip on Anne’s hand and she suppressed a moan of pain, she could understand his anger. The Queen must have decided to not tell him.

“We beg your pardon, we both thought you knew.”

“Indeed I didn’t!” he blurted out.

Even Ned stopped his training hearing his father yelling. He got closer to his mother who hugged him with one arm and caressed his black hair.

Richard took a deep breath and thanked them for being there to tell him. They took their leave and Richard looked at Anne and Ned.

“I need to go to London” He stated and Anne kissed her son’s hair.

….

The only news Anne received were about Richard’s decisions. He had Anthony Woodville and Richard Grey, the Queen’s son from first marriage, arrested and condemned to death for treason and he took the future King, Edward V, under his custody as Lord Protector.

Anne was worried about her husband. He always been a cautious man, not careless. Yes, he could easily lose his temper, but she always knew how to calm him and help him through her support.

She was more serene in knowledge that Francis was with him. He, apart from Anne, knew very well Richard since childhood and he would have listened to him.

 It was June and Anne finally had a letter from Richard, saying she was needed at their house in London, Crosby Place. He indicated to leave their son at Middleham Castle, due to his frail health. It wasn’t easy for Anne to separate from her son, but she knew that Richard needed her the most in that moment.

She rode a horse on her own and smiled warmly when she catch a glimpse of Richard coming out of the house.

He helped her getting off the horse, grabbing her waist delicately while she rested her hands on his shoulder. He was smiling but he seemed less happy than she was.

“Oh Anne, I needed you so much.” He affirmed, kissing her cheek, even If Anne was expecting a kiss on the lips.

“I’m here now, Richard…” She whispered softly , moving her hands over his chest. He made a nod for them go inside and they directly went to their chambers.

“I need you out of this dress, my dear…” He whispered against her neck and she shivered from anticipation, she knew what was coming and she felt the same as him. It was a long time since she felt his hands on her body like in that moment.

“Richard…”  she murmured in a low voice just for him to hear. Richard smiled with his lips on her back. One of his hands sneaked on the front of her dress and grabbed one of her breasts, squeezing it softly.

The dress then pooled at Anne’s feet and went toward the bed, giggling at Richard. He smirked and took off his clothes. His body covered Anne’s, his hand holding hers above her head and the other was exploring her body.

Later Anne was resting her head on his chest and they were both smiling, “I feel refreshed, brand new” He said, running his fingers through her hair.

“Guess we didn’t lost our passion” Anne stated, referring to the fact that they were married for eleven years and still they would feel like the first time.

“We will never, Anne, when we will be tired and old we will still be able to give pleasure to each other…”

Anne giggled, “You’re very positive”

“I am, you always make me feel like I am twenty years again” He kissed her and she smiled, but then her expression changed.

“Richard…” She started and he anticipated her words.

“We need to talk… I know, but right now all it matter is you and me, and this bed which I will not allow you to leave”

Anne sighed. She was happy to spend some intimate time with her husband, it seemed like their problems stopped existing and they were newly married and happy in their home in Middleham. But she wasn’t conceiving anymore, no more children to carry in her belly, no more children to rock in her arms or in Richard’s. She wanted to give Richard the little girl he always wanted and many more babies. But apparently she was meant to be the mother of an only child, their precious Ned.

“What is troubling you, my dear?” Richard asked, seeing her worry.

“Nothing…” She shook her head and smile a bit, but Richard wasn’t convinced at all and turned her with the back on the bed and looked her in the eyes.

“What is it?” He asked again and he wouldn’t let her go without an answer.

“Is just… what if I’m barren and I will never give you sons and daughters?” She wondered looking down.

Richard hinted a smile and Anne loved to see him smiling, she knew he was truly smiling because he tended to smile with all his face, his eyes were smiling too.

“What do I always tell you?” He asked, playfully.

Anne pretended to think about it a bit and then smiled shyly.

“That as long as you have me and your honor, you will be happy” She answered and Richard nodded.

“Right” He kissed her and lay down next to her. “And you must always remember that”

Anne turned on her side and smiled.

“I was so taken from my beautiful wife, that I forgot to ask you how was our son”

Anne became thoughtful and Richard caressed her arm, “I’m sorry you had to leave Ned, I know how close you are to him.”

“You are too, my love, but yes I am a bit sad to leave him with the nurse, but you needed me now” She replied and kissed his hand.

“As always, you are right, I need you more than ever…” He didn’t wanted to speak yet but he was relieved she was there with him to give him her support.

…

The first day was full of love with Richard, but the next days he was always with Buckingham and Stillington, discussing about the young King and the Woodvilles and Anne was always on her own or wither mother-in-law or her ladies.

“Richard needs to take a decision…” started Cecily Neville, catching Anne’s attention.

“What decision?” She asked, curious.

“Well, a boy cannot be a King, that Elizabeth will surely reign over his son and I will not let her and her family to run England, it was supposed to be Richard’s father crown and for his sons. My dear Edward died before of time, also my George, died because of her… Now it’s Richard duty to continue the York Kings Dynasty.”

“No, he won’t. Richard doesn’t wish it, he wants to be with me and our son at Middleham castle. He wants a quiet life, being a King is not for everyone.” Anne exclaimed, nervously. She didn’t want Richard to be the King, and she didn’t either wanted to be the Queen.

She wanted before, it was her father’s dream to see one of her daughters on the throne. And she wanted to accomplish it when she was with Lancaster, she really tried to be strong, to be a Neville, but with Richard and their Ned, she changed her mind. The only thing that mattered was her family, not the power or the crown, and Richard was of the same opinion.

Later that night she heard Stillington speaking with loud voice and Richard answering calmly. Anne was close to the door but she couldn’t hear much and when she tried to place her ear against the wood of the door, she made a noise that caught the attention of the two men.

“Who’s there?” Richard asked and Anne showed herself and Stillington greeted him and her once at the door to get out.

“Anne…”

Anne got closer to Richard and sat on his lap. Richard seemed tired, and even if he tried to smile, Anne understood that there was something bothering him and his mind.

“What can I do, Richard?”She asked. Richard took her hand to kiss it and she then pressed it on his cheek.

“You being here is already a lot to me, Anne” He replied and that made Anne’s heart to swell with love but they both knew there was something they needed to speak of.

“Stillington said I should take the throne”

It seemed that Anne’s greatest fear was to become true. Her eyes widened in shock. “And… what did you replied?” She asked.

“I can’t do that. Edward wanted his son to be the King, I know he’s still a boy, but I won’t ignore his desire.”

Anne nodded, then Richard said no. He was to loyal to his brother, even when he was underneath the ground.

“He’s Edward’s boy, he will make a great king like his father” She commented and Richard closed his eyes shaking his head slowly.

“That’s the point, he’s a boy… Who will be the regent until he comes of age? The dowager Queen, Elizabeth Woodville, and you know she hates us”

“She can’t do anything without proof against you”

“She can, and she will if she will take the decisions instead of the King…” Richard seemed really worried about the possibility the Queen to take it out on him.

Anne caressed his hair and kissed him on his forehead, “Richard, can I ask you something?”

Richard lifted his gaze to her, as when she asked him if he truly loved her. “Of course” he said, a bit worried of what she could might ask.

“Is it your wish to become King?”

Richard noticed her tears ready to fall from her eyes. He wiped them and kissed her on the lips.

“Only with you as my Queen, Anne, I need you by my side”

Anne couldn’t believe at what he had just said. Until then, she thought they wanted the same thing, but she was wrong.

They were always free to speak out their mind with the other, but she didn’t want to give him an another portion of worry, so she smiled a bit.

“I will always be by your side, my love”

They kissed and Richard took her on the bed, but Anne didn’t enjoyed their love making this time, all her thoughts were in Middleham. She, Richard and Ned, just the three of them. Now they would have the all England at their feet and she didn’t like the idea of it.

…

Days later the same Stillington revealed that King Edward was already married with Eleanor Talbot when he married Elizabeth Woodville, so it wasn’t valid and that would have made all their children illegitimate.  No one would have wanted a boy king and, moreover, illegitimate.

Richard saw no other option, he had to proclaim himself King, for the sake of all England. Anne didn’t liked the idea, but, as she had said to Richard, she was always going to be by his side. That was her place.

They were crowned on the 6th of July of the year 1483.

The banquet and the celebration was glorious, never Anne had seen a bigger feast than that, she enjoyed to dance with her husband and now King of England. He was Richard III now, no more Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester.

When they went to bed, there were too many people to undress them and both found it a bit  awkward.

“This is the beginning of a new life for us, Anne, I think we should start I in a good way, don’t you think?” He asked, mischievously arching his brow.

“Yes, my King” She smiled shyly and they kissed.

“My King, uh? So… what my Queen desires tonight?” He pushed her against the edge of the bed and untied her nightgown and took it off from her shoulders, letting it to fall on the ground.

“You are so beautiful”

“I’m always the same, I haven’t changed.” She joked and Richard laughed.

“You have, you are a Queen now. You are the truest white rose in the whole England.”

Anne blushed and Richard moved her hair behind, leaving her bare for his eyes to wander on her body.

“What my Queen desires then?” He asked again and at the same time he took his lips close to hers.

“Your Queen wants to be pleased, my King” Anne knew which game he intended to play that night and he grinned, lifting her legs to rest around his waist and he laid her on the bed.

He kissed her starting from the top of her head. He wanted to not miss a single part of her flesh. Anne brought her head back when he reached her breasts and her nipples. He wanted to keep her still, but he needed his hands so he dared her to move, If she did he would have stopped instantly no matter if she didn’t reach the apex of pleasure. Anne had to fight a lot to not to move, especially when he went down on her.

…

“King Richard and Queen Anne” Stanley announced and Richard with Anne entered the room full of people, they came to pay tribute to them.

Richard sensed Anne tensed but before he could say anything, he noticed that she was straightening her head to look just as a Queen would. He was really proud of her.

Richard wasn’t loved from the people living in London, he was only in the North. There he was treated like a King, now he was for real.

Anne knew that people only needed to get to know him and then everyone would have loved him.


	13. Chapter 13

London 1484

“Kathryn, please, send this. I’d like to know how’s my son.” Anne handed a letter to her step daughter. Kathryn smiled and made a curtsy, but before she could exit from the chamber, the King, her father, and Thomas Stanley came in.

“Your Grace” the girl made a again the curtsy and Richard smiled at his daughter.

“Please, Kathryn…” He said and dismissing her. She smiled back, but then she froze for a moment, seeing the way Stanley was looking at her.

“Katie, is all right?” Asked Anne, frowning and Kathryn nodded, heading out of the chamber.

Anne turned to look at Richard, who promptly, kissed her hand.

“How are you, my dear?” He asked, watching his wife resting a hand on her belly. Anne was pregnant again, and even if she had many miscarriages, she never lost her hope to give birth once again since their only son Edward.

“Quite good, I guess we’ll have another boy, my love.” She told him, making him coming closer. He was thrilled as he put his hands on her belly and Anne’s hand on his.

He smiled, feeling the little, but strong, kick. “You can go, Stanley, I need to remain with my family now” He then said, not even turning the gaze. Stanley greeted them and left.

“He will live, Richard, I’m sure of it.” Anne whispered with tears in her eyes.

Richard caressed her cheek, wiping her tears with his fingers.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why it keeps happening…” She excused herself, smiling. She was very emotional during pregnancies, is something both figured out rapidly.

“Don’t worry, you need only to rest, want me to keep you company?” He asked, helping her to get up from the chair. Soon she would entered into her confinement period.

“Yes. We must profit of these last moments together, mustn’t we?” She sat on the bed, watching Richard taking off her shoes.

“It will be only for a few months, and then, it will be forbidden to the Queen to ever leave my bed.”He told her, helping her to lay down.

He took off his crown from the head and his doublet. He hugged her from behind and rested his hand on her belly.

…

“Your Majesty…”

Richard was discussing with his councilors when he saw one of Anne’s ladies, panting and dry eyes from crying. He left the papers he had in his hands to fall on the ground and ran to the birth chamber. The bed was still stained with blood, Anne had the baby in her arms and she was crying.

“Anne…” Richard approached her and he understood that the baby was dead.

“I was so sure… I was sure that this time…” She couldn’t even finish to speak for the tears.

Richard fell on his knees beside her bed and tried to touch his dead son’s cold cheek.

…

April, London 1484

Anne was at the window of her chamber, still with her nightgown. She was a barren Queen and people at the court started to speak. She was no use to the King to have a long progeny as Queen Elizabeth did for King Edward. And now, their only son was dead too. They were travelling to see him at Middleham, their once home, Richard thought could have helped Anne to see him, after the death of their baby boy.

And instead, they finished to cry more for their Ned.

After the funeral, Richard tried to be close to his wife, but she pushed him away. He understood, it was too soon and she needed time, and he gave It to her, all the time she needed, but she kept pushing him away when he would try to start lovemaking.

Anne was at the window and she was crying in silence.

“Anne…” She heard that voice, the voice of her husband. She didn’t turned and try to wipe her tears.

“Yes, Richard?”

He got closer and rested his hands on her hips, making her to turn towards him. Seeing she was crying, he caressed her face, and her hair.

“Anne, why are you pushing me away?” He asked tenderly.

Anne frowns and fight her tears back.

“I can’t give you children… I told you that I could have been barren and…”

“…And… I said that I don’t mind it, I want you, Anne” He finished her phrase, smiling a bit.

“I’m not deaf…” She said then, taking his hands off her face and going toward her bed.

“What do you mean?” He asked, confused.

“People are saying that you will put me aside to favor our niece, Elizabeth…”

Richard was close to her, on his knee when she finished to speak. He took one of her hands and kissed it.

“I would never put you aside, Anne, you are my Queen. And Elizabeth is our niece…”

“Daughter of the dowager Queen Elizabeth, who gave many children to your brother.”

“Yeah, and she’s beautiful, but she’s my niece and in my heart there’s only place for you.”

Anne sighed, she knew her husband was loyal and he would have never put his niece next to him as a Queen, but gossip was fatal for a decadent Queen.

“What if… they ask you to take her because she’s Edward’s daughter?”

“I will decline their suggestion, I never betrayed you and I’m not going to start now.” He said now, looking closely into her eyes and he kissed her with much passion. Anne tried to push him away, but he catch her wrists to hold her still. “Anne…please…don’t push me away…” He whispered in her ear, and when he felt her calming down, he rested his hands on her tights. He lift up the nightgown and move her on the center of the bed. They didn’t say anything while lovemaking, only softly moans and groans.

“Promise me you’ll never push me away, you are not alone in this, Anne, we both lost two sons recently…” He told her, caressing her arms while Anne was doing the same with her fingers on his chest.

“I love you Richard, I always will” He kissed her, holding her tightly.

…

Bosworth, 1485

The last Plantagenet King.

He never thought that the battle with the pretender Henry Tudor would have also been  his last, but now that he was on the ground, encircled by all the soldiers. While they were naming the young man their new King, they didn’t noticed that he was still alive. Neither Richard believed it, yet it was just for not much longer.

All he did, he let the gossip to be spread at the court just to keep the crown with Anne by his side. Anne knew that, but the loss she has suffered, the illness, clouded her mind and he never had the chance to say sorry. She died thinking he loved another, his niece moreover.

“Richard…”

He couldn’t move, he couldn’t turn his head to search for that voice, he thought he was becoming mad. Anne wasn’t there, she was dead and it was him to blame for it.

“Richard…”  The voice said again, but this time he could move and get on his feet.

Finally he could see Anne, beautiful as ever and smiling at him.

He reached for her, but before he could hold her hand, she disappeared and all he could see was the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is my last chapter. Is fast as ending, i know. i invented the fact Anne got pregnant again and lost the child, just to add drama (please don't hate me).   
> I've always imagined that once dead, Richard would have been again with Anne and Ned, but since he wasn't buried properly he couldn't be with them.   
> Tell me what do you think :)


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